Preaching Tours and Missionary Labours of George Müller
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PREACHING TOURS AND Missionary Labours OF GEORGE MÜLLER ( of Bristol .)
BY
Mrs. MÜLLER.
1883.
LONDON: J. Nisbet & Co., Berners Street.
TO BE HAD ALSO IN BRISTOL, AT THE BIBLE AND TRACT WAREHOUSE
OF THE SCRIPTURAL KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTION FOR
HOME AND ABROAD, NO. 34, PARK STREET; AND THROUGH
ALL BOOKSELLERS.
DRYDEN PRESS:
J. DAVY AND SONS, 137, LONG ACRE, LONDON.
[All Rights Reserved.]
Entered at Stationers' Hall.
INTRODUCTION.
Before the perusal of this book is entered upon, it
seems desirable that I should myself state to the
reader, what led me to undertake these missionary
tours. It may be well to refer also to the objects I
had particularly in view in connection with them;
to mention how far the desired result has been
attained; and to notice a few other points relating to
these journeys.
During many years the thought occurred to me
again and again, that it might be the will of God I
should seek to benefit His children and the unconverted,
not through my publications only, but by
ministering personally amongst them in other places
besides Bristol; but my position as pastor of a large
church, and as Director of a great Institution, which
seemed to require my constant presence, for a long
time put aside the thought. At last, however, when
staying in the Isle of Wight in the autumn of 1874,
finding that my preaching at Ventnor and Ryde had
been unusually blessed and valued, I judged, that,
having very efficient fellow labourers in the Church
at Bristol, I could be spared, and that my absence
would not be particularly felt. With reference to
the work on Ashley Down, too, as Mr. Wright had
for many years been an able helper in connection
with it; as he had by that time been appointed Co-Director
of the Institution; and as I had laboured
in word and doctrine in Bristol (almost exclusively)
for forty-three years; it was laid upon my heart to
go from city to city, and from country to country, in
order to benefit (if possible) both the Church of
Christ and the world at large, by my ministry and
experience. Accordingly, after much prayer and
waiting upon God, I decided upon devoting a very
considerable portion of my time habitually to this
service, as long as health and strength should be continued
to me.
The objects I have in view in undertaking these
tours are the following:—
1. To preach the Gospel in the simplest way possible,
that persons may understand how the blessing,
which sinners receive through faith in Christ, is to
be obtained. Many who are really in earnest about
their salvation, are nevertheless without peace,
because they rest upon their feelings. They do not
see that every one, who is convinced that he is a lost
sinner by nature, and confesses this before God,
passes sentence upon himself (so to speak), that, if
he depends solely on the perfect obedience of the
Lord Jesus unto death, even the death on the cross
and upon His substitutional sacrifice, he receives the
forgiveness of all his sins, is justified the moment he
believes in Jesus and shall not perish, but have everlasting
life. Rom. v. 1; Acts x. 43; John iii. 16.
2. During my pastoral labours for many years I
found, that numbers of true children of God are
without the knowledge of their standing in Christ.
They do not enter into the fact, that they have passed
from death unto life, that they are regenerated, pardoned,
justified, accepted in the Beloved, and are no
longer under condemnation. Now, having entered
into all this experimentally for more than half a
century myself, I desire (with the help of God) to
bring others also to an apprehension of these blessings;
and how greatly this service is needed, is
obvious from the fact, that there are great numbers
of preachers of the Gospel and pastors, who, being
without the knowledge of their own personal salvation,
are, in consequence, entirely destitute of any
real peace and joy in the Lord.
3. Another object I aim at is, to bring Christians
back to the Holy Scriptures; to urge them to try
everything by the word of God, and to value that
only, which will stand this test. I endeavour therefore,
to lead believers to become lovers of the Bible,
by exhorting them to a daily, systematic, consecutive
reading and study of it; for I know from an experience
of more than half a century the blessedness
of doing this myself, and also, what loss I experienced
during the first three years after my conversion, from
not attending to it.
4. Further, I aim at a removal of sectarianism, at
promoting brotherly love amongst true Christians;
and with this object in view go amongst all real
believers, by whatever name they are called, provided
they are sound in the foundation truths of our holy
faith. Though not agreeing at all, with some of their
opinions and practices, I nevertheless preach amongst
all, having seen for many years how greatly the heart
of the Lord Jesus must be grieved by the disunion
that exists among His own true disciples. On this
account, therefore, I have sought (in my feeble measure)
to unite all real believers; but, as this cannot
be done, by standing aloof from our brethren in
Christ, until they see eye to eye with us, in every
point, I have gone amongst them, and have united
with them, in so far as nothing has been required of
me which I could not do with a good conscience.
5. As for more than half a century I have seen
how very little real trust in the Living God there is
(generally speaking), even amongst true Christians, I
have sought also in these my missionary tours, particularly,
to strengthen their faith; because, in the
course of my pastoral labours, the blessed results of
real confidence in God on the one hand have come to
my knowledge, and the misery of distrusting Him
also on the other.
6. Both in my public ministry of the Word, and
private intercourse with Christians, I seek to lead
my fellow disciples to more real separation from
the world and deadness to it, and to promote
heavenly mindedness in them, according to the Scriptures.
At the same time, however, I warn them
against extravagances (such as sinless perfection in the
flesh), which are not to be found in the Word of God.
7. As the Lord enables me, I give instruction also
about the true character of the present dispensation
and the end thereof, and strive to lead the Church
of Christ to look for His second coming as her great
hope.
In these nine long missionary tours, I have gladly
embraced every opportunity also of having meetings
with ministers and pastors of Churches, both for
the sake of encouraging them in their service, and
that I might benefit them through my own experience
of fifty-seven years in the ministry of the
Word. I have availed myself too of every opportunity
of addressing students in Universities, Theological
Seminaries, and Colleges, and have had opportunities
likewise of addressing 1,000 or 1,500 Christian
workers at a time, and of seeking to benefit
them by my experience. This kind of work I have
now been able to do in twenty-two different countries;
for after having spent a considerable time in such
labour in England, Scotland, and Ireland, I was led
in the providence of God to Switzerland, Germany,
Holland, France, Spain, Italy, Canada, the United
States, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, Turkey,
Greece, Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, Russia, and
Russian Poland.
The reader may now be desirous of asking—"And
what has been the result of all this service?" My
reply is—The day of the Lord alone will reveal it.
Here on earth but little can be known, comparatively,
of the fruit of our labours; yet, as far as I have
been permitted to see, even here, there is good reason
to believe, that I have not been directed to one single
place, regarding which there was not manifest proof,
that the Lord sent me there, on account of the visible
blessing which rested on my labours.
It may be desirable also to state, why an account
of these missionary tours has been published in this
form, as several of these journeys have already been
referred to in the Reports of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution. The reason is, that, in the Reports
a very brief account only of them has been given,
and that always in detached portions. Now, as my
dear wife has invariably accompanied me in my
travels, during the past eight years, and has kept a
journal regularly of my labours for the Lord, we
judged that a connected and much fuller account of
them might be given in a book, than could be published
in any other manner. Through a perusal of
this Narrative it is hoped also that Christians may
be led to give themselves to prayer for blessing on
this my past service, and that God may help me in
any future labours, to which, in His providence, I
may yet be called. We considered likewise, that, in
this way, Christians may be led to give themselves to
prayer for the countries, in which I have been
labouring; and, lastly, that, with God's blessing, other
aged and experienced brethren and pastors may be led
to devote the evening of their life to similar service.
God has been pleased within the last thirty-five years
to raise up thousands for evangelistic work; but,
it is well known, that there are comparatively very
few who labour amongst the churches, and can bring
the experience of a long life in the service of the Lord
to bear upon the assemblies of Christians whom they
visit. If, through the reading of this book, God
should be pleased to incline the hearts of aged, experienced,
and very godly servants of Christ, to
devote their declining years to the visiting of Churches,
both my dear wife and myself shall consider ourselves
abundantly recompensed for our attempt to
serve Him by publishing this Narrative. Hundreds
of times, both separately and unitedly, we have besought
our Heavenly Father to bless this labour for
Him, and we are sure that He will graciously answer
our request.
It now remains only, that I say a few words regarding
the photograph, which is given in this book.
During the last thirty years I have been asked
many hundreds of times, both verbally and in writing,
for my likeness; but my reply has invariably been:
"As I do not wish to direct attention to myself, but
to my Lord and Master, I must decline to comply with
your request." Notwithstanding this, however, applications
for my portrait have been continued, and are
still made more than ever. Twenty years ago I was
offered £500, if I would allow it to be published; but the
offer was declined for the reasons already given. Since
we have been travelling about, in almost every town
or city, where I have laboured (with very rare exception)
this request has been renewed; and very often
has been made by many residing in the same place.
Again and again photographers (brethren in Christ)
have called and begged me to let them take my likeness,
because so many friends desired to possess it.
Whilst at St. Petersburg, a Christian gentleman came
to see me (who, together with his wife, after a state
of long spiritual deadness, had been revived in soul
through my ministry), and on taking leave of me,
with the probability that we should never meet
again on earth, begged earnestly for my photograph;
but I gave the answer, which has always been given
under such circumstances. As recently as during my
last stay in London, I received a letter from a photographer,
stating that a servant of Christ, who was
going to publish the photographs of certain well
known pastors and teachers, desired particularly to
include mine amongst the rest; but his application
succeeded no better than others of the same kind
have done. This very day on which I am now writing,
another request for my photograph has been
made to me by letter, and many hundreds of times
have I thus been entreated for my likeness, but in
vain.
And what has been the result of all this? In consequence
of my steadfast refusal to be photographed,
several representations of me (for likenesses they cannot
be called, as I never sat for one of them) have
been published, without my knowledge and against
my will. A religious periodical, extensively circulated
in America, containing one of these portraits,
has gone all through the United States. An enterprising
photographer tried once to secure my likeness
too, by an instantaneous process, as I was driving in
an open carriage up a hill, but was foiled in the
attempt. A portrait of George Müller also, with a
most doleful expression of countenance (conveying not
the slightest idea of the happy man he really is), has
been going the round, and occasionally has come
before me, even in the houses of my best friends. In
the fear of God, therefore, I have come to this conclusion:
Since the public insist upon having a portrait
of me (whether I like to give it or whether I do
not), let my beloved Christian friends at least have a
photograph that is a real and not a false representation
of their unworthy brother in Christ; and especially,
let it be one with a pleasant, cheerful expression
of countenance, that will glorify and not dishonour
the Lord I love; for our very faces even
should show forth His praise.
And now in conclusion, I have one earnest request
to make, which is this: that (after yielding to the
desire for my likeness so very long expressed, and
having had it published) my friends will have the
great kindness to refrain from applying either to me
or to any of my helpers at the Orphan Houses for it,
under the supposition that the photograph can be
obtained in the form of a "carte-de-visite." As it
has not been published separately from this book, it
cannot possibly be had in any other form than is given
here. One especial reason I had for inserting it in
the book, and for not allowing it to be published
separately, was, that as the amount of work we have
at the Orphan Houses is already very great, I
earnestly desire that it may not be increased by our
having to respond to continual applications by letter
for my photograph, which in all probability would be
made, if the likeness could be obtained separately.
I am sure, however, that nothing further need be said
on the subject, as all my dear Christian friends, who
really love and esteem me, will at once see how reasonable
and important my request is.
GEORGE MÜLLER.
New Orphan Houses,
Ashley Down, Bristol. July, 1883.
CONTENTS.
First Tour.—England. From March 26th to July 6th, 1875
FIRST MISSIONARY TOUR. — ENGLAND. From March 26th to July 6th, 1875.
As the origin of these Missionary Tours has been fully
explained in the Introduction to this book, it will
be unnecessary to advert to the circumstances which
led to them any further. It may therefore now be stated,
that on March 26th, 1875, Mr. Müller and myself set off
upon our first missionary journey to a few places in
England, and began by visiting Brighton, where he
preached several times. He held one meeting also at
Lewes; and after he had preached repeatedly again at
the Presbyterian Church, the Pavilion Dome, etc., at
Brighton, we went to London, where, on the evening of
May 6th, he addressed a very large congregation at Mr.
Spurgeon's Tabernacle. On May 8th, we went to Sunderland,
where he preached six times, and on the 25th proceeded
to Newcastle, at which town he held a meeting at
one of the Wesleyan Chapels, and gave a long address to
Christian workers at a Union Prayer-Meeting the next day.
He preached at Newcastle also on May 26th, and on the
27th we returned to Sunderland. There he preached on
the morning and evening of May 30th, attended a Union
Prayer-Meeting the following day, at which he spoke for
three quarters of an hour, and gave a farewell address on
June 2nd. On the 3rd we went again to Newcastle, at
which town he held eighteen meetings—making a total of
sixty-two since we left home on March 26th—and thence
returned to London, where, on June 24th and 25th, he
spoke at the Conference Hall, Mildmay Park, and was
one of the speakers who addressed about 3,000 persons on
the evening of the 27th. On July 1st we went to Notting
Hill. There my husband preached at the Talbot Street
Tabernacle four times, and on the evening of June 5th
addressed 1,500 Christian Workers for nearly an hour and
a half at the "Edinburgh Castle," London—a service
which brought his first preaching tour to a close.
On July 6th we returned to Bristol, where, besides
working daily at the Orphan Houses, and transacting
much business connected with the other branches of the
Scriptural Knowledge Institution, Mr. Müller preached,
as usual, several times; and after remaining at home for
five weeks and four days, we set off again upon our missionary
travels.
SECOND TOUR. — ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. From August 14th, 1875, to July 5th, 1876.
On August 14th, 1875, we went to London on our
second tour, of which, for the sake of brevity, it may
be desirable to give a very short sketch only.
On the 15th my husband preached in the afternoon and
evening at the Mildmay Conference Hall, when on the
latter occasion he addressed about 3,000 persons from
1st Peter i. 8; and during the 15 days we were in London
he preached 14 times altogether. Whilst there, he held
several meetings also at the Mildmay Conference Hall for
the benefit of young converts. Messrs. Moody and Sankey,
after their long service in England, Scotland, and Ireland,
had by that time returned to the United States; and as
these devoted servants of Christ, whose labours were so
abundantly blessed in the conversion of sinners, were
unable to remain long in the places they visited, Mr.
Müller had it especially laid upon his heart to preach
in the large cities where they laboured, in order that,
through his long experience in the ministry of the Word,
he might help young converts, and instruct them more
than (from want of time) these brethren had been able to do.
On August 30th we went to Stafford, on our way to
Windermere and the Lake District in the north of England,
where a few days were spent; and on Sept. 11th
reached Kilmarnock, Scotland, at which town Mr. Müller
preached morning and evening on the 12th. At Saltcoats
he spoke on the 16th for an hour and a quarter at a Conference,
and preached altogether seven times at Kilmarnock
in the Churches of that town.
On Sept. 20th we went to Dundee, where on the 21st
he spoke at the Conference Hall in the morning to about
1,200 people, and in the evening addressed 2,000 in the
same place. On the 23rd he gave an address at a public
breakfast, spoke at the Conference Hall again in the
afternoon, and held a third meeting in the evening. On
Sept. 29th, at St. Peter's, where McCheyne laboured, he
preached from Psalm ciii. 3-5; held a meeting on the
30th at the Free Memorial Church, preached on the evening
of Oct. 3rd at Kinnaird Hall to about 3,000 hearers, and
during the 15 days we were at Dundee, spoke 17 times in
public altogether. After leaving Dundee and visiting
Dalkeith, on Oct. 9th we went to Perth, where Mr.
Müller preached five times, and on the 13th proceeded to
Glasgow, in which city, at the Convention, he gave
two addresses, on the 14th, on the power of the Spirit,
speaking on the first occasion to about 5,000 people, and
afterwards (by request) on the same subject to an overflow
meeting of 1,200.
On the evening of the 17th, at the Prince of Wales
Theatre, Glasgow, he addressed an assembly of 3,000 from
1st Cor. xv. 1-2, when, at the inquirers' meeting which
followed this service, it was found that 20 persons were
impressed, and that one individual had found peace in
Christ. Upon four subsequent occasions he preached at
the same Theatre; and on the evening of Nov. 3rd addressed
a congregation of 1,000 at Kirkentilloch, including
eight or ten ministers who were present. On the 9th
he spoke to 1,600 Sunday School and other Christian
teachers at Glasgow for an hour and a quarter, preached
at Queen's Park Free Church on the 10th, and on the
14th spoke at the Marble Hall from Ex. xii. 1-12. On
Nov. 17th he held a meeting for young men at Queen's
Park Free Church, and on the 18th, at the noon prayer
meeting, spoke for the last time at Glasgow. During our
visit of 36 days, Mr. Müller spoke 38 times in public
altogether, with much help from the Lord, and there is
reason to believe that great blessing resulted from his
ministry.
Our tour through Scotland would have been continued
at that time, but having received an earnest invitation to
attend a Convention at Dublin, fixed for the end of
November, on the afternoon of the 19th we left Glasgow
for Greenock, and went by steamer to Dublin, where, after
a favourable night passage, we arrived on the 20th. On
the 21st my husband spoke in the morning at Merrion
Hall, and preached in the evening at the same place to a
congregation of about 2,000.
On the 23rd he spoke (by request) at the Christian
Convention to an assembly of 400, consisting of ministers
only, on "What is holiness, and how is it attained?"
and in the afternoon addressed 2,000 persons at the same
place on "Faith which worketh by love." On Nov. 25th
he spoke again at the Convention, gave an address at the
noon prayer meeting also on the 26th, and immediately after
closing it, gave it over again (by particular request) to an overflow
meeting assembled at the United Presbyterian Church
close by. On Dec. 3rd he preached at the Metropolitan
Hall; and at the Exhibition Palace, on the afternoon of
Sunday, the 5th, addressed the largest congregation he had
in Dublin—2,500 persons, at least, being present. During
the 20 days we were there, he spoke in public 21 times
altogether.
Not being able conveniently to remain longer in Ireland,
in consequence of having accepted invitations for
other places, on Dec. 10th we left Dublin, and went,
viâ Kingstown and Holyhead, to Leamington, Warwickshire,
where Mr. Müller preached many times to crowds of
hearers at the Public Hall, the Wesleyan Church, the
Albert Hall, the Congregational Church, and at other
places. He preached once at Warwick also, once at
Kenilworth, twice at Coventry, once at Rugby, on Jan.
4th, 1876, and gave a farewell address at the Public Hall
Leamington, from Ephes. vi. 10-18, the next evening.
During our stay at Leamington of 27 days, including the
services just mentioned, and expositions of the Scriptures
to visitors at the Arboretum, a large Hydropathic Establishment
in the town, he held 46 meetings altogether.
On Jan. 7th we went to Liverpool, as he had been requested
to preach for a time at the great Victoria Hall
there, erected for Messrs. Moody and Sankey. On the
8th he gave an address at the opening of a small Institution,
spoke at the Albion Hall on Sunday, the 9th, and
on the evening of that day preached from Psalm xxiii., at
the great Victoria Hall, to between 6,000 and 7,000
hearers. During our stay at Liverpool he spoke many
times at the Victoria Hall, on Sundays, at the daily noon
prayer meetings, and at 7 o'clock every evening to very
large audiences, until Jan. 18th, when we went to the
Conference at York, where he gave addresses upon different
subjects at three meetings, each of which lasted
about three-quarters of an hour. On Jan. 22nd we returned
to Liverpool, where he continued to hold services
at the Albion and Victoria Halls; on Feb. 6th he preached
at Toxteth Tabernacle, and continued to speak in public
until the 14th. During the 35 days we were at Liverpool,
and the 3 in York, he spoke at 48 meetings altogether.
Whilst engaged in these services he was greatly
helped by the Lord, and believers and young converts
thanked him repeatedly for the blessing his ministry had been
to them. At the Victoria Hall one of the orphans, formerly
under his care—the commander of a merchant vessel—was
converted the very first evening through his preaching.
On Feb. 15th we went to Kendal, where, on the 16th,
he addressed about 800 people at the Friends' Meeting
House, and held three other meetings in the town, including
two at the Sand Area Chapel. On Feb. 21st we left
for Carlisle, and here, on the evening of the 22nd, Mr.
Müller addressed 400 men and women, the work people
of Messrs. Cann. The next day we started for Annan,
Scotland, a little town of 3,000 inhabitants, at which
place, on the 23rd, he preached at the United Presbyterian
Church to about 600 hearers. On Feb. 24th we went on
to Edinburgh, where the General Assembly Hall of the
Free Church was at once kindly placed at his disposal,
that he might hold as many meetings in it as he pleased.
In this beautiful Hall every Sunday evening, and at the
Noon meetings, he addressed very large congregations
during the six weeks that we remained in Edinburgh.
Besides these services, he preached at St. George's Free
Church, at North Leith Free Church three times, at Dr.
Chalmers's Memorial Church, at Bristol Street Baptist
Church, Barclay Free Church, etc., and held 53 meetings
altogether. On April 6th we went to Arbroath, at which
place, and at Montrose, he preached eight times; and at
Aberdeen, where we arrived on April 16th, in 21 days he
preached 31 times. In Edinburgh and at Aberdeen he
had also two meetings, at which he addressed a number of
ministers for upwards of an hour; and at the Free Church
College, Edinburgh, spoke to the Theological Students
for about the same time.
On May 10th he held a meeting at the Free Church,
Ballater; on the 12th preached at Crathie Free Church,
near Balmoral Castle; and after he had held three other
services at Crathie, we went by stage coach to Bræmar,
where he preached once at the National, and once at the
Free Church. On our return to Crathie, two more meetings
were also held there. Whilst at this village, we
became acquainted with a Christian housekeeper living at
Balmoral Castle, who kindly conducted us one afternoon
through the Queen's residence in Scotland; and, a short
time before we left Crathie, Her Majesty arrived at the
Castle, whom we saw driving out occasionally, accompanied
by the Princess Beatrice.
After our departure from Crathie we went to Inverness,
where Mr. Müller preached many times, and remained
there until May 31st, when we set off for Wick, about 15
miles from John O'Groat's House, in the extreme North
of Scotland. During our short stay at Wick, on the
morning of June 1st we took a drive to Canisbury, the
parish in which John O'Groat's House is situated, and
walked upon the sea-shore, from which the Orkney
Islands can be seen. At 2 in the afternoon Mr. Müller
preached at Canisbury Free Church, where the country
people flocked in great numbers from their little farms
and cottages, three, four, and five miles off to hear him;
and after the service, at 4 o'clock we returned to Wick,
where he held a meeting in the evening.
On June 3rd we went back to Inverness, and here he
resumed his labours until the 8th, when, in consequence of
the death of an aged lady residing at Reading, Berkshire,
who had made him her executor, we were obliged rather
suddenly to leave; but during our two visits to this town,
including the services at Wick and Canisbury, he preached
24 times altogether.
From Inverness we went—viâ Edinburgh and London,
to Reading, where he preached 13 times, and thence proceeded
to London. There, during the 10 days we remained,
he spoke ten times in public. These services brought his
second preaching tour to a close, and, on July 5th, we
returned to Bristol.
THIRD TOUR. — CONTINENT OF EUROPE. [A] From August 16th, 1876, to June 25th, 1877.
[A] In the following Narrative, passages which describe cities
and places in Europe and America (marked as being quotations
by inverted commas) have been taken either from "Appleton's
Handbook of American Travel," from "Bradshaw's Continental
Guide," or from one of "Murray's European Handbooks."
After being occupied daily for a few weeks at the
Orphan Houses on Ashley Down, and attending
to business connected with the other branches of the
Scriptural Knowledge Institution, besides ministering
regularly at the three chapels in Bristol with which he is
connected, as Mr. Müller had it particularly laid upon
his heart to visit Switzerland and Germany, that he might
labour in the gospel in those countries, on Aug. 16th,
1876, we went to Dover, crossed over to Calais the next
morning, and proceeding to Boulogne, where we stayed
one night, continued our journey afterwards to Paris,
where we arrived on the 18th. During our stay in Paris
he preached five times at the Congregational Chapel, Rue
Royale, in English. Before our departure we visited Versailles
and Charenton-le-Pont, and availed ourselves of
every suitable opportunity upon these occasions of giving
away little gospel books in French to the numerous Roman
Catholics we met with. On the 28th we started for
Dijon, remained there one night, and went on to Neuchâtel,
Switzerland, on the 29th. There, during our short visit
of one day, we took a drive to Chaumont, on the Jura,
3845 feet above the level of the sea, whence a magnificent
general view of the Alps can be obtained, and reached
Berne on the 31st.
On Sept. 1st Mr. Müller preached in German—for
the first time after 31 years—at the Free Church,
where, because the crowd was so great, notice was given
that the next service would be held at the French
Church, a much larger building, in which accordingly a
service was conducted on the 2nd. On Sunday afternoon,
Sept. 3rd, he addressed a mixed assembly of about 1,800,
consisting of pastors, young men, Sunday School teachers,
country women in their Swiss costumes, children, etc., at
a large Hall called the Festhütte; and in the evening
preached for the third time at the French Church, with
very great help and power. On the afternoon of the 4th
we went to Die Enge, a Hall on the side of a steep hill at
Berne, where 150 brethren and sisters in the Lord had
been invited by Col. von Büren to meet us. After walking
about for a short time outside the building to gaze at
the beauty of the distant Alps, lighted up by the glory of
the setting sun, whose departing rays shed a lovely rose-coloured
hue over their snowy summits, and hearing this
remark: "Le bon Dieu l'a fait exprès pour vous donner
plaisir," we partook of coffee with our friends in the Hall,
who heartily welcomed us to Switzerland. Mr. Müller
then gave a short address, and afterwards allowed the
meeting to take a conversational turn, when he answered
a number of important questions that were put to him.
Whilst at Berne he addressed the girls and teachers one
afternoon at Dr. Blösch's Orphan Institution, preached
every evening until Sunday, the 10th—when he spoke at
the Festhütte, at 3 p.m., to about 1,900 persons—and
preached a farewell sermon at the French Church to
nearly 2,000 in the evening. The Lord helped him
wonderfully, many persons appeared to be greatly impressed,
and it was a glorious meeting.
Having before him an immense amount of work, with
the prospect of preaching evening after evening for several
months to large audiences in the close, heated atmosphere
of Churches, Halls, etc.; and desiring a few days of entire
rest and relaxation before the short days and cold weather
of winter should set in; we decided at this time upon a
little excursion amongst the mountains, and accordingly
on Sept. 11th started for Lucerne. At that town, which
is in full view of Mont Pilatus, we passed one night, and
the next morning went by steamer across the lake to
Vitznau, at the foot of the Rigi. Thence we ascended
the mountain—which is 5,905 feet above the level of
the sea—by cog-wheel railway, and beheld from its summit
a view unrivalled for extent and grandeur. The
panorama of lake and mountain scenery was magnificent,
the horizon presenting a circumference of 300 miles, and
including in the prospect 13 lakes, the snowy masses of
the Bernese Oberland, the grand range of the Jura from
Geneva to Basle, and the mountains of the Black Forest
in Germany.
A considerable quantity of snow lay upon the ground in
the immediate neighbourhood of the Rigi Kulm, the cold
was severe, and, as snow began to fall, we were glad to
find shelter, near the top of the mountain, at an hotel.
At half past 4 the next morning we rose and ascended the
Rigi Kulm, whence splendid ranges of innumerable snowy
mountain peaks and distant glaciers could be seen extending
far and wide, to which, illuminated as they were by
the bright beams of the rising sun, a gorgeous prismatic
colouring was imparted; and there we stood for a considerable
time, gazing round upon that grand, wild, solitary,
silent region with an interest that could scarcely be
exceeded.
"God of stillness and of motion, Of the desert and the ocean, Of the mountain, rock, and river, Blessed be THY name for ever!"
At 10 o'clock we descended the mountain, embarked in a
lake steamer at Vitznau for Fluellen and Altdorf, and
remained at the latter place until Sept. 15th. On the
morning of that day we started by diligence for Mont St.
Gothard, slowly ascended a mountain Pass by an Alpine
road that winds between stupendous precipices of enormous
height, dark, frowning, and perpendicular; and after crossing
the Pont du Diable, and changing carriages at Andermatt,
drove on to the foot of the St. Gothard. From that
point a gradual ascent of the mountain (by carriage) was
commenced; the grand scenery and bold outline of the
rocks becoming, as we advanced, more and more striking
and conspicuous; but all was soon obscured by clouds and
mists, and we alighted at the Hospice (situated at the top
of the St. Gothard Pass, about 9,000 feet above the level
of the sea) encompassed by a dense fog. In these regions
above the clouds the cold was so intense, that we were
thankful to accept the very poor accommodation afforded
at the Hospice (a little inn intended principally for the
reception of travellers on their way to and from Italy), and,
in spite of the smoke from the cigars of some Italians that
filled the only room with a fire in it which the house contained,
were glad to be allowed to share it with them, and
with any other travellers who happened to come in. At
10 we retired to our room, which was a very small one
without a stove or fireplace, where the cold during the
night was severe. The next morning (the 16th) we rose
early, and, finding that clouds and fog still hung over the
whole mountain region, concealing entirely the beauty of
the grand scenery around, we got into the first diligence
that stopped at the Hospice, and went down the mountain
at a rapid pace to Andermatt. From there we returned
to Altdorf, took the steamer to Lucerne, and went on by
rail to Zürich, where we arrived in time for my husband
to fulfil the engagements he had made in that town for
the 17th. On the following afternoon (Sunday) he preached
at the Anna Capelle to a large congregation, the Church
being crowded to the utmost, and the staircases and doorways
filled; and in the evening held a second meeting at
the same place, which was also very numerously attended.
At Zürich he continued to conduct services every afternoon
or evening until the 24th, when he addressed a large
audience at the Methodist Episcopal Chapel in the morning,
and preached in the afternoon at the Frau Münster—an
immense Church—to about 1,900 persons. On Sept.
25th we went by lake steamer to Männedorf, and there
were cordially welcomed by Mr. Zeller, successor to Dorothea
Trudel, who conducted us to lodgings at a pretty
cottage, with vines trained up against the walls, in which
she used to live. After Mr. Müller had preached twice at
Männedorf, and held two meetings at Wädenschwyl, a
small town on the opposite side of the lake, we returned
to Zürich; and on the evening of Sept. 29th he preached
at Wytikon, a village four miles distant, where special
arrangements for lighting the Church with lamps were
necessary, because evening services were never held. During
our two visits to Zürich he preached in that town and
in the neighbourhood 18 times altogether.
On Oct. 1st we went to St. Gallen, and afterwards visited
Hauptweil, Heinrichsbad (a small Sanatorium), Herisau,
Heiden, Niederuzwyl, Mollis, Glarus, and Trogen, and on Oct.
23rd returned to Heiden. At all of these places he held
meetings with great encouragement and success, except at
Glarus, where the population is partly of an infidel character.
Here some young men entered the Hall, evidently
intending to disturb the meeting; but the service, nevertheless,
was of a most solemn character. On the following
evening the number of hearers at the same Hall was
considerably larger, and the preacher was listened to with
great attention.
From the grandeur and sublimity of their mountain
scenery, Mollis, Glarus, and the whole neighbourhood for
miles around, are wonderful localities. These are no
places, one would think, for infidels; for here, if anywhere,
the most careless even must be constrained to acknowledge
that "the strength of the hills is His also."
On Oct. 20th we went to Ragatz (situated in a picturesque
spot on the Splugen Road, in the Valley of the Rhine),
and on the following morning took a drive to Pfäffers-Bad,
three miles distant, in the narrow deep gorge of the
Tamina, between perpendicular cliffs of an amazing height,
where, even during the summer months, the sun shines
only from 10 o'clock till 4. The hot sulphur springs
(temperature 94°) are reached by a road of planks at the
bottom of the gorge, which has high precipices on each
side of it, only wide enough apart for the Bath House to
stand on the level ground between them. This Pfäffers-Bad
is considered one of the most curious and remarkable
spots throughout the whole of Switzerland.
On Oct. 24th we left Heiden and went to Constance,
where, on the evening of that day, Mr. Müller held a
meeting at a large Hall of the Insel Hotel, which is
situated on an island in the Boden See, or Lake of Constance.
This hotel used formerly to be a Dominican
Monastery, and the Hall, just referred to, was the Church
originally belonging to the building. An old tower, connected
with the Monastery, in which John Huss was imprisoned,
is still standing close to the hotel. During our
short stay at Constance, three other meetings were held
(two of them in the town), and before our departure we
visited the Council Chamber at the Merchants' Hall, in
which the Council sat by whom Huss was tried and sentenced
to be burned at the stake. The spot—now marked
by a monument near the Brühl outside, where, in the year
1416, he and Jerome, of Prague, suffered martyrdom, is
also one of the interesting places in this neighbourhood.
On Oct. 28th we went to Schaffhausen, visited the
beautiful Falls of the Rhine, and on the 29th, at the
Johannes Kirche (an immense building), Mr. Müller addressed
a congregation of about 3,000. Upon four other
occasions also he preached at the same Church, with great
help from the Lord. From Schaffhausen, on Nov. 3rd,
we proceeded to Winterthur, and after he had held two
meetings there, left for Basle on the 4th. Here, during
the fortnight we remained, he addressed very large congregations
every evening, either at the great Hall of the
Vereins Haus, at a Hall belonging to the Moravians, or
at one of the Churches. He addressed the Theological
Students of the University also, and spoke for an hour
and a quarter to 85 Missionary Students and their
Teachers. On the 15th, at Beugen, he held a meeting at
an Institution for young men who were being trained for
teachers; on the 16th addressed 65 Missionary Students
at Creschona, and on the 17th preached at Lehrach. On
Nov. 18th we went to Mülhausen, and afterwards visited
Strasburg, Stuttgart, Kornthal, Ludwigsburg, Reutlingen,
Ober-Urbach, Heilbronn, Carlsruhe, Gernsbach (in the
neighbourhood of the Black Forest), Heidelberg, Mannheim,
Frankfort on the Maine, Darmstadt, Bonn, Cologne,
Düsseldorf, Mülheim, Gladbach, Reydt, Viersen, Crefeld,
Duisburg, Essen, Elberfeld, and Barmen, at all of which
places important, happy meetings—generally crowded to
the very utmost—were held, both at Halls and in the
Churches.
At Bonn Mr. Müller addressed the Theological Students
of the University; and at Barmen, spoke to the Missionary
Students at the Mission House. Mülheim an der
Ruhr, Barmen, and Elberfeld were found by us the green
spots (spiritually) of Germany, where it was refreshing to
be—on account of the great measure of spiritual life that
existed there. The details, however, of all these services
are not given, because it is undesirable to make this narrative
too long; but it may be interesting to mention that
at Stuttgart he was honoured by an interview with the
Queen of Wurtemberg, who sent for him to the palace
and asked a number of questions about the Orphan Work
in Bristol; and on Jan. 13th, 1877, at Darmstadt, he
held a drawing-room meeting at the house of the Court
preacher, Mr. Bender, giving (by particular request) a
short account of his life and labours to a large company
of gentlemen and ladies assembled there. Upon this
occasion four drawing-rooms were thrown open, and
Princess Karl, (mother of Prince Louis of Hesse, husband
of the late Princess Alice of England) Princess von
Battenburg, and several gentlemen and ladies connected
with the Court were present. The two Princesses shook
hands with us very kindly afterwards, and expressed much
interest in the account which had been given.
On March 24th we left Barmen for Cassel, where, on
Sunday morning, the 25th, at half past 9, Mr. Müller
preached at the Brüder Kirche to about 500 people, and
in the afternoon, at St. Martin's Kirche—the largest
Church in the city—to only between 600 and 700, a circumstance
which showed how low the state of spiritual
life was at Cassel compared with that of Barmen, Elberfeld,
and Mülheim, where the Churches were so thronged,
that, even when the rain fell in torrents, they were not
large enough to contain the people who crowded to the
meetings, though many had to walk to them six, eight,
or ten miles. The congregations, however, increased in
size continually.
Whilst at Cassel we took a drive to the Palace of
Wilhelmshöhe, four miles distant, situated in a beautiful
park, surrounded by extensive grounds where, in 1870,
after his ignominious defeat at Sedan, Napoleon III., the
late Emperor of the French, was sent as a State prisoner
by the present Emperor of Germany.
On March 28th we left Cassel and went to Halle, viâ
Eisenach, to visit the Wartburg (an old Castle standing
on a steep hill, 1,355 feet in height, where Luther was
concealed in 1521) and explored the interior of the
building. The sitting-room, occupied by the great
Reformer, when he translated the Scriptures into German,
is shown to visitors. His chair also, and an old bedstead
upon which he slept, are preserved as objects of interest.
The Wartburg contains a small chapel likewise, and
numerous valuable relics. At 9 in the evening we reached
Halle. The next afternoon Mr. Müller spoke at the great
Hall of Francke's Orphan Institution from Heb. xi. 4,
and on March 30th gave an address on prayer at the same
Hall, upon which occasion he made particular reference
to the life and labours of Francke, because the example
set by that devoted servant of Christ of founding an
Orphan Institution, in dependence upon God alone for
help, was a great encouragement to him when he began
his Orphan Work in Bristol. Whilst at Halle we went
through the Orphan Asylum, founded by Francke in
1698, and visited the different departments of the Institution.
My husband called also upon his old friend Dr.
Tholuck, Counsellor of the Upper Consistorium of Prussia,
and Professor of Theology at the University of Halle, who
was then living.
On March 31st we left Halle for Berlin, and on the way
there went to Wittenberg, a fortified town on the Elbe,
to visit the Schlosskirche, which contains the tombs of
Luther and Melancthon. Here, too, we saw the Church
doors upon which, on Oct. 31st, 1517, Luther's 95 Theses
against the doctrine of Indulgencies were posted up, introducing
the Reformation; and at an old Monastery were
conducted to the room where he lived as an Augustine
Monk, and shown the cup out of which he used to drink.
In the market place is a great bronze statue of the
Reformer, and another of Melancthon near it. We
visited an Oak also, which marks the spot where, on
Dec. 10th, 1520, Luther burned the Pope's bulls; saw the
exterior of Melancthon's house; and afterwards, continuing
our journey by rail, arrived at Berlin late the same evening.
There, as long as we remained, Mr. Müller preached
nearly every evening at one of the various places of worship
in the city, and held meetings at St. Johannes Kirche,
Old Moabit, the Erste Vereins Haus, the Christus Kirche,
the Moravian Brethren's Hall, etc. On Sundays he
preached regularly twice. The audiences generally were
very large. On April 7th, Count Bismarck, (a cousin of
Prince Bismarck), came a distance of 125 miles on purpose
to see and hear him, because my husband's Narrative had
been made a great blessing to his soul.
On the 21st we visited Potsdam, on the morning of the
23rd left Berlin, and in the afternoon arrived at Stettin,
Pomerania, near the Baltic. Here Mr. Müller preached
several times, and afterwards we visited Lübeck (one of
the three great Hanse towns, about 200 miles from Stettin),
Hanover, Bielefeld (in Westphalia), Soest (a very remarkable
old Hanseatic town), and Ruhrort, at each of which
places he preached also repeatedly. On May 16th we
arrived at Nimeguen, Holland, where he held a meeting
the same evening at the Dutch Reformed Church, and on
the 17th visited an Orphan Institution for 450 children,
seven miles from Nimeguen, established in consequence
of the blessing which has rested upon the Ashley Down
Orphan Houses, and carried on in the same spirit in which
our own Institution is conducted. There he addressed
the children with translation into Dutch, and we afterwards
went through the various Departments of the
Asylum. At Nimeguen, Mr. Müller continued to preach
until May 21st, when we went by steamer to Arnheim (a
beautiful town in Guelderland, on the banks of the Rhine),
and afterwards visited Utrecht, at each of which places he
held meetings repeatedly. On May 26th we reached
Amsterdam, where he preached several times, either in
German, or in German with translation into Dutch; and
whilst there a letter arrived from the United States, signed
by the Rev. E. P. Thwing, and four other pastors,
earnestly inviting him to labour in America.
"Amsterdam is built upon piles driven through 50 or
60 feet of peat and sand, and is protected by dykes. Its
numerous canals and 95 islands are spanned by 300
bridges. The diamond cutting industry of Amsterdam is
the most celebrated in the world, and supports 10,000
workmen, 9,000 of whom are Jews. At Koster's the
Kohinoor and other diamonds were cut."
On June 3rd we went to Zeist, an interesting Moravian
settlement, where my husband preached three times, and
afterwards visited Haarlem, Leyden, and the Hague (the
residence of the Court and Government), at each of
which places he held several meetings. Those at the
Hague were attended by many both of the upper and the
lower classes, but by none belonging to the middle ranks
of life. Before our departure from the Hague we spent
a few hours at Scheveling, a small sea-port on the Dutch
coast; and on June 13th left for Rotterdam, where Mr.
Müller spoke the same evening at a Conference. The
following evening he gave another address at the Conference
Hall, and on June 15th preached at one of the
Reformed Churches, to a large Congregation. This was
his last service on the Continent. During this long tour,
there is the fullest reason to believe, that God greatly
blessed his labours at all the places that we visited. On
June 16th we left Rotterdam for England, viâ Brussels,
Calais, and Dover, and arrived in London on the 18th.
On the 21st he spoke at one of the Mildmay Conference
meetings; on the 23rd gave an address at the noon prayer
meeting, and on Sunday (24th) preached in the afternoon
and evening at the Conference Hall to very large congregations.
These services brought the labours of his third
missionary tour to a close, and on June 25th we left
London and returned to Bristol.
FOURTH TOUR. — CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. From August 18th, 1877, to July 8th, 1878.
After returning from the Continent, a few weeks were
spent at the Orphan Houses on Ashley Down,
where everything was found to be going on well; but,
after much prayer, considering it to be the will of God we
should respond to the letter of invitation received at
Amsterdam, and visit the United States, on August 18th,
1877, we went to Liverpool, in order to embark for
Canada, having been strongly advised to take the shorter
sea voyage to Quebec instead of going to New York. On
the morning of Sunday, the 19th, Mr. Müller, spoke at
the Albion Hall, in the evening he preached at Toxteth
Tabernacle; and whilst we remained at Liverpool held
three other meetings.
On Thursday afternoon, August 23rd, we went on board
the steamship "Sardinian" (Allan Line) and sailed at 7 in
the evening. The following morning we touched at Moville,
on the North coast of Ireland; and, after waiting there a few
hours, to take in the mails, steamed out into the Atlantic.
Our cabin, the chief officer's deck room, was tolerably comfortable,
and the voyage, though rough, was a favourable
one upon the whole. Off the Island of Newfoundland, the
weather became cold, and the progress of the vessel was
retarded considerably by fogs; but on August 30th, the
welcome cry of "land!" from the steerage passengers
was heard, and when the fog lifted, Belle Island on our
right was in full view, at a short distance only from the
ship. On the evening of that day Mr. Müller held a
meeting in the forecastle for the sailors and steerage
passengers, and spoke afterwards in the Chart Room to
as many of the cabin passengers as were able to attend.
On the 31st we entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence—460
miles in length—where a heavy sea was running, and
soon came in sight of the island of Anticosti, inhabited
only (it is said) by bears and wolves.
On the evening of that day, Mr. Müller gave an
address at a meeting in the saloon, and early on the
morning of Saturday, Sept. 1st, the mail bags were landed
at Rimouski, where a few passengers went on shore. The
remainder of the day was occupied in going up the River
St. Lawrence. On its northern bank, a long range of mountain
district extends for many miles; and on its southern
side close to the river's brink, numbers of white houses—the
homes of French-Canadian settlers—are dotted along
the shore for a great distance. In the evening, as we
drew near Quebec, the "Sardinian" fired guns as a
signal of her approach; and at half-past eight we reached
Point Louis, South Quebec, after a voyage of nine days,
six hours and a half, and anchored alongside the wharf.
From the landing-place a carriage conveyed us up a steep
hill to the Hotel St. Louis, where a number of letters
awaited our arrival, containing a warm welcome to
America, and numerous invitations for my husband to
preach in the United States. On Sunday evening,
Sept. 2nd, at the Baptist Church, he preached for the
first time in Canada, and the following day at a Hall in
the city held two other services. We had happy interviews
also with several Christian friends. An abundance
of work would have been ready for him at once at various
places in Canada; but as the letter of invitation, received
at Amsterdam came from pastors in the United States, it
seemed right to go there first, and particularly to
Brooklyn, where Mr. Thwing resided.
On the morning of Sept. 4th, some friends took us in
a carriage to see the beautiful Falls of Montmorenci,
nine miles distant, where the river of that name, after
leaping for miles over a rocky bed, rushes with great
velocity to the edge of the high rocks over which it falls,
and pours its snowy cataract 250 feet into the valley
below. Quebec is beautifully situated, and is a place of
great historic interest. Near the town are the "Plains
of Abraham," and the spot where General Wolfe fell. A
monument erected to his memory and to that of Montcalm,
stands upon it. The Citadel, sometimes called the
"Gibraltar of America," is a fortress upon the summit of
a very high rock, from which there is a magnificent view
of the St. Lawrence, and of the surrounding neighbourhood.
At 6 o'clock on the evening of the 4th, we went
on board a river steamer, and, after a favourable night
passage, at 7 the next morning, arrived at Montreal,
where some brethren waiting on the landing-stage asked
us to remain; we did not, however, accept their kind invitation,
and at 9 o'clock started for Toronto, where, after
a long railway journey of 333 miles, we arrived at half-past
11 the same night. On the 6th we went on, viâ
Hamilton, to Niagara, and—having decided to remain
there till the next day—spent the afternoon in surveying
the wonders of the celebrated "Falls," situated on the
River Niagara, a strait connecting the floods of Lake
Erie and Ontario.
The first distant view of them was rather disappointing;
but a closer inspection revealed their magnitude and
grandeur to the full. "The waters for which the Niagara
(a name signifying Thunder of Waters) forms an outlet
cover an area of 150,000 square miles, floods so grand
and inexhaustible as to be totally unaffected by the loss
of the hundreds of :
millions of tons which they pour every
hour through succeeding centuries over rugged, perpendicular
cliffs into the depths beneath."
After driving to a bridge just above the American Falls,
we made a partial circuit of Goat Island on foot, halting
at all the chief points of interest. A staircase on the
right led first to Luna Island, where, standing by a railing
close to the edge of the precipice, we beheld the vast,
swift, overwhelming waters of the American Falls, 169 feet
high, immediately beside us, rushing in a tremendous
torrent right over the brink, down into the fearful gulf
below. "This, we thought, surpasses everything; surely
this must be the grandest Cataract in the world." But it
was not; for a few more steps brought us full upon the
great Horse Shoe Fall, on the Canadian side of the river,
a mighty Cataract 150 feet high, and 1,900 feet in
breadth, where with overwhelming velocity and force,
"1,500 millions of cubic feet of water" (according to
Professor Lyell) rush every hour over the ledge of rocks,
forming a huge, boiling cauldron at the bottom of the
cliffs. And then the "Rapids!" those wondrous Rapids—which
some think equal to the great Cataracts themselves—especially
attracted our attention. Just above
the Falls, the bed of the Niagara descends about 51 feet
in three-quarters of a mile, and there, over rough ridges
of rock, great masses of stone and large boulders, its
waters surge and foam, in ten thousand fantastic shapes,
and in the wildest turmoil, as though frantically eager to
rush over the precipices into the abyss below. After
seeing the "Rapids" we crossed the river by the new
Suspension Bridge, and returned to the Clifton Hotel.
The next afternoon, at half-past 2, we left for New
York, travelled in a Pullman's sleeping-car all night, and
at 7 on the morning of Sept. 8th reached our destination,
after a journey of 446 miles. From the terminus a carriage
conveyed us to Brooklyn, "the City of Churches,"
about seven miles distant, where—at the Pierpoint House—we
remained for six weeks. On Sunday morning,
Sept. 9th, at Dr. Talmage's Tabernacle (said to be the
largest church in the United States), in the absence of Dr.
Talmage, Mr. Müller was most affectionately introduced
to the audience by Professor Thwing, who in the course of
a short speech from the platform, paused for a few
moments, and shaking hands with him before the assembled
multitude welcomed him to the United States. Mr.
Müller then addressed the congregation, and preached for
three-quarters of an hour with much help from the Lord.
In the evening he spoke again at the Tabernacle, and
after the meeting, amongst the numbers who pressed forward
to greet us was a sister in Christ, one of the former
Orphans from Ashley Down, who has been married for
many years.
During our visit to Brooklyn, Mr. Müller held a great
number of meetings. On Sept. 12th he spoke at the
Fulton Street prayer meeting, New York, and besides his
regular preaching, visited Orphan and other Institutions,
ministered amongst the Germans (of whom there are
about ten millions throughout the United States), and
continued actively engaged in the Lord's service until Sept.
20th, when we went by river steamer up the Hudson,
to the city of Hudson, and attended a Convention, where
be gave three addresses. On the 22nd we returned to
Brooklyn, and on the following morning and evening he
preached at Plymouth Church. On the 24th he spoke
again at the Fulton Street prayer meeting, preached in
German at Newark on the 25th, addressed the German
students of the Theological Seminary at Bloomfield
on the 26th, attended meetings for pastors, whom he
addressed, visited a Hom[oe]opathic Institution, preached at
Williamsburg, East Brooklyn, on Oct. 7th, and continued
day after day to labour uninterruptedly, until Oct. 20th,
when we went to Boston, after he had spoken in public at
Brooklyn and the other places above mentioned 50 times.
At Boston Mr. Müller began his work by speaking
on Sunday morning, Oct. 21st, at Mr. Moody's Tabernacle—a
large building which holds 7,000, but where
on this occasion, as rain fell heavily, the congregation
was comparatively small—and in the evening he
preached at Park Street Church. On Oct. 22nd he
held a meeting at Berkeley Street Church, and the next
morning was called upon by an inquirer, a young man
under deep conviction of sin, who, having experienced an
overwhelming consciousness of his lost condition by
nature, during the sermon of the previous evening, was so
affected that he could scarcely speak for weeping. During
our stay at Boston my husband held meetings also at
Dr. Cullis's Chapel; addressed the 350 young ladies at
Wellesley College, 15 miles from Boston; preached at the
Clarendon Street Baptist Church, at Warren Avenue
Baptist Church, at Charlestown; spoke at Dr. Cullis's
Faith College; addressed 500 school teachers at Cambridge;
preached at Dudley Baptist Church, at Boston
Highlands, at Clarendon Street Church; visited Dr.
Cullis's Institution for Consumptive patients, whom
he addressed, when Dr. C. remarked, "But for your
example, all this would never have been in existence"—and
continued his labours until Nov. 3rd, on which day
we went to Newburyport.
There, on the morning of the 4th, at the Old Presbyterian
Church—founded by George Whitefield, and where
he ministered—Mr. Müller spoke from Isaiah liii. 5, 6,
and read out of the Bible which belonged to that eminent
servant of Christ, a circumstance noted with interest by
the hearers, as this Bible is not generally used. He occupied
a pulpit also which stands just above the spot where
the remains of Whitefield lie interred. In one corner of
the Church a handsome monument has been erected to his
memory, and the vault is shown in which his coffin rests;
but when the lid was removed, the skull and a few bones
only could be seen of the celebrated man, whose voice once
reached the ears of tens of thousands, and whose eloquent
appeals, in years gone by, made careless, unconverted
sinners tremble. The following inscription is upon the
monument:—"This Cenotaph is erected with affectionate
veneration to the memory of the Rev. George Whitefield,
born at Gloucester, England, Dec. 16th, 1714, educated
at Oxford University, ordained 1736. In a ministry of
34 years, he crossed the Atlantic 13 times, and preached
more than 18,000 sermons. As a soldier of the cross,
humble, devout, ardent, he put on the whole armour of
God, preferring the honour of Christ to his own interest,
repose, reputation, or life. As a Christian orator, his
deep piety, disinterested zeal, and vivid imagination, gave
unexampled energy to his look, action, and utterance.
Bold, fervent, pungent, and popular in his eloquence, no
other uninspired man ever preached to so large assemblies,
or enforced the simple truths of the gospel by motives so
persuasive and awful, and with an influence so powerful on
the hearts of his hearers. He died of asthma Sept. 30th,
1770; solemnly exchanging a life of unparalleled labours
for his eternal rest."
In a "Memoir of his Life and Labours," published in
the United States, his biographer remarks that—"His
out-of-door audiences consisted of twenty, thirty, and forty
thousand at a time, whose singing could be heard two
miles off, and Whitefield's own voice also could be heard
at a distance of a mile from where he stood. When exhorting
Howell Harris about his people in a letter,
Whitefield wrote—"Show them in the map of the Word,
the kingdoms of the upper world, and the transcendent
glories of them; and assure them that all shall be theirs,
if they believe on Jesus Christ with their whole hearts.
Press them to believe on Him immediately. Intersperse
prayers with your exhortations, and thereby call down
fire from heaven, even the fire of the Holy Ghost. Speak
every time, my dear brother, as though it were your last;
weep out, if possible, every argument; and, as it were,
compel them to cry,—"Behold how He loveth us!"
The author of this Memoir further says—"Present duty
was the only thing that ever pressed hard upon him; past
bitternesses he quickly forgot; future troubles he left with
God. He lived one day at a time and lived it thoroughly;
exhorting every one around, to follow his Lord and
Master."
On the afternoon of Nov. 4th, Mr. Müller preached
again at Whitefield's Church. During our stay at Newburyport,
he held three other meetings, and on the evening
of the 7th at the Baptist Church he gave a farewell
address. On the 8th we went to Amherst, where there is
a College containing 350 students, to whom and to other
hearers from the town, my husband spoke for an hour on
the evening of that day. During our stay, at the house
of President Seelye, Principal of the Institution, the
following interesting account of a former College student
(a Japanese) was related to us. Whilst in his native
country, many years ago, this young man, becoming dissatisfied
with his gods of wood and stone, happened one day
to meet with a Primer for children, written by a missionary
in the Japanese tongue, when his eyes lighted upon these
words:—"In the beginning God created the heaven and
the earth." Genesis i, 1. The thought, that there was
a Being who had created the material universe around,
the beautiful earth with all its wonders, and the starry
host in the spacious firmament above, struck him forcibly.
"That God (thought he) is the Being I will worship;" and
for some time he ignorantly, but sincerely, worshipped
the God of Genesis i. At length, ardently desiring to
learn something more about the true God, he determined
to leave the country secretly, and to go to China, with the
hope of obtaining further light. At Shanghai a New
Testament in the Japanese language was given him, when,
on opening the book, he immediately caught sight of this
verse:—"God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should
not perish but have everlasting life." John iii. 16.
"Whosoever?" (he thought to himself) "that must
mean anybody, and as I am somebody, that must mean
me." He studied his New Testament with the deepest
interest; believed what he read, and, through the teaching
of the Holy Spirit, became a decided Christian. Desiring
to be more fully instructed in the truth, he determined to
go to the United States, and sailed for Boston in a ship
belonging to a Christian merchant of that city, who, on
his arrival, became so much interested in the young convert,
that he sent him to school at Andover, where he
remained three years. After that, he studied for three
years at Amherst College, and then returned to Andover,
where, at a Theological Seminary—as he intended to
become a minister of the gospel—his education was
further carried on. Finally he returned to Japan as a
missionary, and was the means of bringing his parents
and brothers to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ. A photograph of this young man was shown to
us by President Seelye.
On Nov. 9th we took a drive to Mount Holyoke
Seminary, South Hadley, founded by Mary Lyon; a most
interesting and important Institution, where, in a large
Hall, Mr. Müller addressed the 225 lady students and
their 25 teachers. We afterwards walked through the
beautiful and extensive grounds connected with the
Seminary, were conducted through its various Departments,
and visited Miss Lyon's grave. From Amherst,
on Nov. 10th, we went to Providence, Rhode Island,
where my husband preached four times to large, attentive
audiences, and—at the request of the President—addressed
the Students of the University. After leaving
Providence we proceeded to New York. There he spoke
for an hour at the Bible Union meeting, preached at the
Baptist Central Church, and at the Hall of the Young
Men's Christian Association addressed a very large German
congregation, including about 30 German ministers.
On the 15th, at the Presbyterian Church, Orange, New
Jersey, he addressed the teachers of 22 different Sunday
Schools with reference to their service, when the building
was crowded with an immense congregation; and on the
16th, preached at a Baptist Church, New York.
On Nov. 17th, we left for Jersey City—at which place,
as well as at Elizabeth and Morristown, several important
meetings were held—and on the 24th, went on to Philadelphia.
There my husband began work the next day,
and, during our stay, preached many times to crowded
congregations. On the evening of Nov. 26th, a meeting
for Christian workers was held at Chambers' Presbyterian
Church, when he addressed about 1,400 brethren and
sisters in Christ for an hour and a half, with great help
from the Lord, and on the morning of Dec. 3rd (by invitation)
attended a meeting of pastors at one of the
Methodist Episcopal Churches, where, at their request, he
addressed about 500 ministers of various denominations,
who had assembled to hear him. Upon this occasion he
spoke to them for an hour and 20 minutes on 15 different
points connected with their service for the Lord, and considered
this meeting one of the most precious opportunities
of witnessing for Christ ever afforded to him in his whole
life. Numbers of these brethren pressed round him
afterwards, expressed their thanks, and cordially invited
him to preach in their churches. In a very short time
also, he received an invitation to address the Episcopal
ministers on the following Monday morning. On the
4th Dec. he preached at the Scott Methodist Episcopal
Church from 1st Tim. i. 15, 16, with great power, when
the people appeared to be deeply impressed; and on the
afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 9th, spoke at the Hall of a
Sunday School, built by a Christian gentleman at a cost
of 150,000 dollars. This school (probably the largest in
the world) is generally attended by 2,200 children; but,
on this occasion, the younger ones having been dismissed,
1,500 only were present. As about 1,500 other hearers,
however, were there, he had altogether a congregation of
3,000. The arrangements connected with this Sunday
School were the most perfect we have ever seen, and
the Hall, where the school is held, is a very large beautiful
building. Before our departure from Philadelphia, Mr.
Müller preached at Haddonfield, New Jersey, on Dec. 6th
and at German Town, on the 7th, to a very large
audience, at the great Hall of the Young Men's
Christian Association. On Monday, Dec. 10th, he
attended the united meeting of Episcopal ministers
already referred to, when he addressed them for an hour,
on ten weighty points connected with their service; 48
were present. At All Saints Episcopal Church, on
the evening of Dec. 14th, he preached from the 103rd
Psalm, when the church was filled with hearers. No
clerical gown was put on, and a few collects only were
read by the minister at the commencement of the service.
On Dec. 15th, we left Philadelphia for Baltimore,
where, the next morning (Sunday, 16th), he preached at
the largest Methodist Episcopal Church, which was
crowded, the aisles, etc., being thronged; and in the
evening held a meeting at the First Presbyterian Church,
when this building also was filled—many had to stand,
and others to go away for want of room. During the
whole of our stay at Baltimore, my husband continued to
labour uninterruptedly, preaching night after night to
immense audiences; but as a minute account of his work
in the various cities we visited, throughout our long tour,
would take up too much space, a few particulars only of
his ministry at the most important places can be given.
On Dec. 21st, he spoke at a State Convention, in the
presence of about 150 gentlemen connected with jails,
reformatories, etc., who had assembled to consider this
subject—"Is religious instruction an agent necessary for
the reformation of prisoners?"—a question which was
answered by him most decidedly in the affirmative.
On Dec. 22nd we went by rail to Annapolis, 21 miles
from Baltimore, and by steamer afterwards down the Severn
out into the Bay of Chesapeake, which is the largest Bay
in the United States. On our return to Baltimore by
water, we got into important conversation with some
German infidels, and were glad to have opportunities of
giving little books and tracts to them as well as to other
passengers on board the steamer. On Dec. 25th, Mr.
Müller preached at the Independent Methodist Church,
and continued to labour at Baltimore until the 29th, when
we went to Washington. There, on the morning of Sunday,
the 30th, he preached at the Congregational Church—the
largest in the city—and in the afternoon at 3 o'clock
at Lincoln Hall. On the evening of Dec. 31st, at Dr.
Sunderland's Church, he spoke from Psalm ciii. 3-5, with
particular reference to the close of the year, when he
addressed his hearers with great solemnity, earnestness,
and power.
On Jan. 1st, 1878, the firing of canons early in the
morning ushered in the new year, which is a time of much
excitement and gaiety in Washington, when the President
holds a "reception," and there is a great deal of visiting
from house to house. On the evening of that day my
husband preached at the Foundry Church, from Exodus
xvii. 1-7, when, although it was a time of so much pleasure
and amusement, between 700 and 800 people were present.
On Jan. 3rd we visited Wayland Seminary, a
few miles from Washington, where he addressed 97 male
and female coloured students, who were being trained for
missionary work: a deeply important service. As they
possessed great taste for music, and considerable vocal
talent, it was quite a treat to hear them sing; for music—in
the Lord's service—being carefully studied at this
Seminary, the sacred pieces which they sang were exquisitely
given. In the evening Mr. Müller preached at
Dr. Mitchell's Church, from Romans xii. 2, where, after
the service, one of the pastors came up to him and said:
"God sent you to America, dear Brother. That's just
the kind of teaching that we want; something that will
rouse and wake up Christians as well as the unconverted.
God sent you to America, Sir; of that I am certain." On
Jan. 4th he preached at the Calvary Baptist Church, and
on the 5th we went to the Virginia Episcopal Theological
Seminary, near Alexandria, about 11 miles from Washington,
and were driven three miles from the railway station
to the Institution in an open carriage in bitterly cold
weather, the thermometer being six degrees below zero,
that is, it registered 38 degrees of frost. There, in the
presence of their professors—4 in number—and the President,
my husband addressed 41 young men, students, who
were preparing for the ministry and for missionary service;
and about 40 young students from the High School
besides, who, with their tutors, had been invited to attend
the meeting. On Sunday, the 6th, he preached three
times: in the morning at the Metropolitan Church, a very
large one, which was crowded; in the afternoon at Lincoln
Hall to about 1,500 persons; and in the evening at
the Foundry Church.
On the morning of Jan. 10th, at half past 9, we accompanied
Mr. Shipley, of Cincinnati (by appointment), to
the White House, to be introduced by him to the President
and to Mrs. Hayes. They received us with much
courtesy, and, after making some inquiries about our work
in England, the former entered for half an hour into conversation
with Mr. Müller. Mrs. Hayes afterwards conducted
us through the White House, a large old mansion,
and showed us the State apartments, with the various
objects of interest which this residence contains.
On Jan. 11th Mr. Müller addressed about 1,000 Christian
Workers, at the Lutheran Memorial Church, for an
hour and 20 minutes; and on the 15th spoke to the
coloured students at Howard University for an hour,
where the work carried on is of a most important character.
During the whole of our stay at Washington, his
time was fully occupied, and he preached every evening,
and sometimes twice a day, as long as we remained. On
the 19th we visited the Capitol, which has a dome nearly
400 feet in height; from the top of which the river
Potomac, Mount Vernon, Alexandria, Washington, and
the whole neighbourhood could be seen, and afterwards
walked through the Government Buildings, public offices,
etc. On the morning of Sunday, Jan. 20th, Mr. Müller
preached at the First Baptist Church, and in the afternoon
at 4 o'clock gave a farewell address at the Lutheran
Memorial Church to a very crowded audience.
On Jan. 21st we left for Salem, in Virginia, 239 miles
from Washington, and on our way passed many of the
places which were the scenes of deadly conflict between
the Federals and Confederates during the civil war that
raged in the United States many years ago. Near the
line of railway Cemeteries were to be seen, filled with long
rows of graves placed close together, and marked by white
stones, where the corpses of those who were slain in battle
lie interred. Alas! what an awful, melancholy war was
that! After travelling for twelve hours, at 8 p.m. we
arrived at Salem, a small secluded town, 1,450 feet above
the level of the sea, situated in a beautiful valley amongst
the Alleghany Mountains. On the following evening my
husband preached at the Lutheran Church to a most
crowded congregation, consisting of pastors, theological
students, ladies, country people, negroes, children, the
visitors from the Duval Hotel—where we were staying—its
three proprietors, the servants (one woman only being
left at home); and an elderly Welch minister from Merthyr
Tydvil, for 30 years a resident in the United States,
walked seven miles from the country to be present at the
meeting. All who could possibly attend turned out to
hear George Müller, of Bristol, England, who preached
for upwards of an hour, and was listened to with the
liveliest interest and attention. On the evening of the
23rd he held a second meeting at the Lutheran Church,
and addressed a densely crowded congregation, when the
appearance of the building plainly showed that it is not
necessary to go to large cities in order to have vast
audiences. Hundreds of young men were present, most
of them students from Roanoke College and the Theological
Seminary, many of whom were standing at the
entrance closely packed together; whilst others sat upon
the pulpit platform side by side. The gallery was thronged.
At the back of it several young men were standing upon
forms, with their heads near the ceiling, and upon the
edge of the front seats in the gallery a few boys were
perched, with their legs hanging over the pews, in a
somewhat dangerous position. Mr. Müller spoke for an
hour and 35 minutes, giving (by particular request) some
account of his life and labours, and the meeting, which
lasted two hours, was a very blessed one. The next morning
he spoke at the Theological Seminary to the students,
and in the evening preached for the third time at the
Lutheran Church, his particular object being to address
the young men from Roanoke College and the students of
the Theological Seminary. The portion of Scripture from
which he spoke was Eccles. xi. 9, 10, and chapter xii. 1.
On Jan. 25th we rose at 4, left the railway station—at
some distance from our hotel—at a quarter past
six, and travelled, viâ Lynchburg, Dundee, Salisbury, and
Charlotte, to Columbia, in South Carolina, where, after a
long, fatiguing journey of 378 miles, which it took 21
hours to accomplish, we arrived at half past 3, early on
the morning of the 26th, and (by special invitation) went
to the house of Chief Justice Willard. The next day,
(Sunday,) Mr. Müller preached in the morning at the
Presbyterian, and in the evening at the Methodist Episcopal
Church, where, though the congregations were
small compared with those in the North, they were large
for the Southern States. On the morning of the 28th we
went through the State House, the Capitol of Columbia,
and were introduced by Judge Willard to the Governor,
the Secretary of State for South Carolina, the Comptroller-General,
and other government officers. We visited the
Senate Chamber also while the senators were sitting, and
the House of Representatives, where, on the following
morning (by particular request), Mr. Müller opened the
deliberations of the day, according to custom, with prayer.
At 1 o'clock he addressed the young men and lads at the
Reformatory Prison, and, before our departure from Columbia,
preached four times at the different churches,
giving an address besides to 41 students, with their President
and professors, at the Theological Seminary on Feb.
21st. Columbia was a fine city once; but two-thirds of
it were destroyed by fire during the civil war, and the
place, though now re-built, has never thoroughly recovered
its former beauty. It is situated on the Bluffs of the
Congaree, and used to be celebrated for its delightfully
shaded streets, its lovely flower-gardens, and the model
plantations in its vicinity.
On the afternoon of the 1st we left Columbia for
Charleston, the metropolis of South Carolina, seven
miles from the ocean; and after a journey of 135 miles,
arrived there on the 2nd, at half-past 12 in the middle
of the night. There, on the morning of Sunday the 3rd,
Mr. Müller preached at the Citadel Baptist Church,
and in the evening at Trinity Church; but in consequence
of the rain, which fell heavily all day, the congregations
were only small. On the two following evenings he held
meetings at the Second Presbyterian Church, addressed
the orphans of the Charleston Orphan Asylum on the
6th, in the presence of their teachers and a number of
gentlemen and ladies connected with the Institution, and
on the evening of that day preached at the First Baptist
Church. On the following evening he held a meeting for
Christian Workers, and on the 8th preached at Morris
Street Coloured Baptist Church, with great help from the
Lord, to 1,000 negroes and coloured people, and about 60
whites. On the morning of Sunday, the 10th, he preached
at the Bethel Methodist Church, and in the evening at the
Citadel Baptist Church, a very large building, where a
union service or mass-meeting was held, which was crowded
to overflowing, most of the churches in the town having
been closed, that their congregations and ministers might
be present. On the following morning he addressed a
meeting of pastors for an hour and 10 minutes, preached
in the evening at the Old Bethel Church for coloured
people, and on the 12th held a meeting at the Centenary
Church, where an immense congregation of negroes and
coloured persons assembled, many of whom stood in the aisles
and outside the doors, whilst numbers were unable to get in.
On Feb. 13th we left Charleston for Savannah, the
chief city of Georgia, and travelled all day slowly by
"accommodation train" through one of the great American
swamps, a morass with stagnant water and luxuriant
vegetation on each side of the railway.
"This route lies within a few miles of the coast, and passes
through many of the seaside and lowland towns and villages of
the State, situated in the midst of the wildest, richest scenery.
For miles the rails are laid on piles passing through marsh
and morass, and crossing swift rushing streams; but it is
in regions of this nature that the grandest and most tropical
vegetation is to be found. In this country of miasmas,
fever, and excessive heat, where, in the summer months,
few but the negro can exist, the most profuse and abundant
vegetation thrives luxuriantly. Extensive pine
forests, lofty cypresses wreathed with garlands of grey
moss, the bay and the laurel covered with the vines of the
wild grape or ivy, and immense live oaks, line the road on
each side. Wild flowers grow in profusion during the
spring and summer, and the canebrake rises to a height of
ten, twelve, or fifteen feet. In these regions alligators
abound, which delight in the muddy, stagnant waters,
and find in them a river home."
We passed many negro log-cabins, built where the
ground was tolerably firm; but they were wretched-looking
habitations, damp and miserable, many of them being
mere hovels of a most unhealthy character. Though the
rice fields, cotton, sugar, and tobacco plantations may be
benefited by a constant supply of moisture, the damp heat
produced by the sun's scorching rays in summer, as they
fall upon this marshy ground, is exceedingly unhealthy,
and produces yellow fever, which is often most fatal in the
Southern States.
Upon our arrival at Savannah—a beautiful city with
plantations of orange and lemon trees growing in winter
in the open air, and adorned with geraniums, creeping
plants and various choice flowers—we accepted an invitation
to the house of Mr. Charles Green, a Christian merchant;
and during our short stay were entertained at his
mansion most hospitably. Whilst there, Mr. Müller
preached at the Baptist, Independent, Presbyterian, and
Methodist Episcopal Churches, gave addresses to the
girls of the Episcopal Orphan Asylum, of Whitefield's
Orphanage in Georgia, and spoke to the children of the
Preventive Home. Before our departure from Savannah, we
took drives to Buonaventura Cemetery, to Plantation, and
to Thunderbolt, and particularly noticed the luxuriant,
but peculiar-looking, Spanish moss which attaches itself
to the trunks and branches of the trees, and grows in
great profusion all through the Southern States. Being
of a grey colour, it is unlike European moss, and forms a
long, deep fringe, a kind of sweeping, mournful drapery,
which, as it is waved about by the wind, has so melancholy
an appearance that it seems appropriate for cemeteries,
where it is found in great abundance.
On Feb. 25th, Mr. Müller gave a farewell address at
the Presbyterian Church, and on the 26th we went on
board the "City of Bridgetown," an "inland route"
river steamer, in which, with 136 other passengers, we
sailed (viâ Brunswick and Fernandina) for Jacksonville, in
Florida. By the term "inland route," is meant a voyage
down the river Savannah, across lakes, estuaries, and
along wide streams, but inside the land which forms a
boundary to the Atlantic Ocean. Our voyage proved,
however, most tedious and intricate; for several times the
vessel grounded, and as it was necessary to wait for the
tide to rise and set her afloat again, great delay and inconvenience
were occasioned; but on the afternoon of the
28th, after steaming through a most tortuous water-course,
a perfect labyrinth of winding streams, we got safely into
the St. John's river, and in the evening reached Jacksonville,
after a voyage of 350 miles, which it took 52 hours
and a half to accomplish. We arrived too late, however,
for Mr. Müller to preach that evening, though the service
had been advertised. He held meetings therefore in
this city five times only, all of which were numerously
attended; and at Polk's Hall, on Sunday evening, March
3rd, there was a union or mass meeting, where a vast
audience assembled, which was said to be the largest congregation
ever known in Jacksonville. Here, and in
Florida generally, vegetation was most luxuriant; for, as
some parts of the coast are only 130 miles from the West
Indies, the climate of this State is tropical; and flowers,
fruit, and vegetables were in season, that in most other
countries can be obtained only in the summer.
On March 4th, at 3.45 p.m., we left Jacksonville,
and travelled all night in a train where the sleeping
arrangements were more comfortable than usual. The
following day we crossed the Chattahoochee River, and
in the course of our journey became interested in a
gentleman, very ill in consumption, whose severe cough
had reached us often in the night. He had been staying in
Florida for the benefit of his health; but, as he said, "I
can't talk," we ventured to hand him a couple of tracts;
"Eternity," and "How is it with you?" which there is
reason to believe he read. The train stopped at Dawson,
Eufala, and many other places; and at 9 o'clock on the
evening of the 5th, we arrived at Montgomery, in
Alabama, after a tedious journey of 483 miles. Here,
desiring to get on quickly to Mobile (in Alabama) Mr.
Müller preached a few times only; and, on the morning of
the 9th, we rose at half-past 5, in order to continue our
journey further South. In the course of it we passed
several large cotton plantations, where cotton of the previous
year still remained upon the plants; peach trees in
full blossom were growing wild in great abundance, fir and
pine trees by the million lined each side of the railway,
and occasionally "turpentine orchards" containing the
fir trees from which turpentine is made, were close at
hand. At a distance of about 20 miles from Mobile, we
crossed the rivers Alabama and Tombigby—fine broad
streams, filled with water to the brim—a few creeks, and
a great quantity of marshy ground; and afterwards entered
one of the great "swamps," with which the Southern
States abound. At length, after 11 hours' slow travelling
by "accommodation train," at 7 p.m. we reached Mobile,
180 miles from Montgomery, and were most kindly received
there by Judge Horton and his family, to whose
house we went. In this city, Mr. Müller held a number
of meetings, which (for the Southern States) were numerously
attended, and had daily happy intercourse with
Christian friends.
Our stay, however, was but short, for on the morning
of March 15th we bade them all adieu, and set off for
New Orleans, Louisiana, 141 miles distant, where, after
stopping at 25 stations, travelling through inlets of the
Mississippi Sound, much swamp and water, and crossing
the Bay of St. Louis (a portion of the Gulf of Mexico) by
a railway bridge two miles in length, we arrived at a
quarter before nine, on the evening of the same day.
At New Orleans my husband held many meetings, including
services at the Canal Street Presbyterian,
Carondelet Street, and Methodist Churches; he preached
also in German, at three different places of worship, and
gave two addresses, one to the 250 coloured students of
Leeland College, and the other to the coloured students
of Straight University, 215 in number. New Orleans,
which is the chief cotton mart of the world, contains a
large Roman Catholic, French, and Spanish population,
and is said to be the most wicked city in the United
States. During our visit, Popish processions frequently
passed along the streets, and little or no regard was shown
for the Lord's Day, when business was carried on as usual.
Before our departure we visited the Orange Groves and
Lake Pontchartrain; but with this exception, saw very
little of the neighbourhood.
On the afternoon of March 29th we went on board the
"John Scudder," a large river steamer, and at 6 p.m.
left New Orleans, and started on a voyage up the Mississippi,
for Memphis, Tennessee. The room we occupied
was rather large, and was one of a great number of cabins
ranged along the sides of a very long saloon, used as a
general sitting and dining-room by the passengers. It
had two berths, six little windows—or ventilators—close
to the ceiling, and two doors, one of which opened into
the saloon. The food provided for the passengers was
excellent, but no drinking water was to be had on board,
except the unfiltered water of the Mississippi; and this
was so full of impurities, and muddy sediment, which
formed a thick deposit on the bottom of any vessel where
it was allowed to stand, that we could neither make up our
minds to drink it cold, nor in the form of tea or coffee,
particularly as it was said to have an injurious effect upon
the health. We therefore obtained a jug filled with ice,
allowed the ice to melt, and after mixing a little wine with
the water, to take off the coldness of it, procured a wholesome
palatable draught. On the evening of March 31st,
Mr. Müller (by permission) held a meeting in the saloon,
when he addressed the passengers, coloured servants, and
as many of the ship's company as were able to attend; but
though there were a few Christians on board who appreciated
the service, the passengers were chiefly worldly
people, who amused themselves every evening in the
saloon with music, singing, dancing, and card-playing,
from which there was no escape, as in our cabin, we could
distinctly hear, even if we did not see, all that was going
on. The voyage, however, though slow, was a pleasant
one upon the whole. The Mississippi, or "Father of
Waters," from its source in Minnesota, to its mouth in the
Gulf of Mexico, is 3160 miles in length; but the Upper
Mississippi is considered much more beautiful than the
lower portion of the river. Whilst on board, Mr. Müller
was occupied a few hours every day in writing the new
Report, and on April 3rd, at 6 p.m., we landed at
Memphis—situated on one of the Chickasaw Bluffs of the
Mississippi—after a voyage of about 800 miles. There
we passed the night at an hotel in very uncomfortable
quarters, and, at 11.15 on the morning of the next day,
left by rail for St. Louis, Missouri, a city of more than
half a million of inhabitants, where, after a journey of
327 miles, we arrived at 7.15 a.m. on April 5th, and went
immediately to the Planters' House.
On Sunday, April 7th, Mr. Müller began his work by
preaching in the morning at the Second Presbyterian
Church, and in the evening at the Pilgrim Congregational,
when, upon each occasion, the audience was immense.
On the 8th, he gave an address on prayer at the
Methodist Episcopal Church, to crowds of hearers, and
preached at Pine Street Presbyterian Church on the
evening of the 9th. On the 10th and 11th, he held
meetings at the Second Baptist and at Lafayette Park
Presbyterian Churches, and on the 12th addressed an
assembly of at least 2,500 at the Centenary Methodist
Episcopal Church, the largest in the city. On the 13th,
at the German Protestant Orphan Home, nine miles from
our hotel, he spoke to 161 orphans in German, in the
presence of their teachers and other persons; on Sunday
morning the 14th preached at Dr. Brookes's Church,
Walnut Street, on the second coming of Christ, and on
the evening of that day, at the Mercantile Library Hall,
addressed a mass meeting of Germans, about 2,000 in
number. On the morning of the 15th, he attended a
meeting for pastors—when he spoke to 150 for an hour
and 20 minutes—and in the evening preached at a German
Church, at the corner of Autumn and Tenth Streets. On
the 16th, a meeting for Christian Workers was held at
the First Presbyterian Church, when he addressed a congregation
of 1,200, and on Wednesday evening, April 17th,
preached a farewell sermon at Dr. Brookes's Church,
from the Epistle of Jude, verses 20-21, with great power
and solemnity. Throughout the whole of our stay at St.
Louis the meetings were exceedingly large, on week evenings
as well as on Sundays; and the interest and attention
manifested throughout the whole series of services
were most encouraging.
On April 18th we rose at half past 5, and commended
ourselves to the Lord in prayer for the long journey to
San Francisco—undertaken after much waiting upon God—before
us; and at half past 8 left St. Louis in a Pullman's
car. In the course of the morning we crossed the
Missouri, and, the weather being lovely, with vegetation
in perfection, the journey was delightful. In the evening
we alighted at the supper station to partake of some
refreshment, and at 9 o'clock retired to rest. The little
room we occupied was comfortable, and the sleeping
arrangements were excellent. Our windows remained
shut, but as the six ventilators above them were left open,
there was thorough ventilation; and, after passing a good
night, at 9 o'clock the next morning we reached Council
Bluffs. There, after breakfast, at half past 9, we got
into the same train; but, having to take seats in one of
the other carriages until the Pullman cars were unlocked,
a multitude of emigrants—who were pouring into California
at the rate of 1,000 per day—soon surrounded us,
amongst whom we distributed some tracts. At Omaha,
Nebraska (476 miles from St. Louis, where the Union
Pacific Railway begins), we arrived in half an hour; and,
after waiting three hours at the station, got into another
train, without emigrants, and there engaged a second little
private room. At 1 o'clock our journey was resumed, and
soon after leaving Omaha we entered upon the prairies,
which consist of millions of acres of wild, barren, uncultivated
land, stretching away for hundreds of miles in all
directions, with scarcely a bush, tree, or plant of any size
upon them, and covered only with dry, short, stunted
grass. Throughout this district (appropriately called the
"American Desert") the cold must often be intense, for
there is no shelter for many miles, and nothing to break
the force and severity of winter gales. During this portion
of our journey the train advanced only at the rate of
15 miles an hour; for, though travelling apparently over
immense level plains, we were gradually ascending some
thousands of feet above the level of the sea. On April
20th, at noon, the engine got out of order, and as we and
all the other passengers alighted from the train, there was
further opportunity of distributing tracts and of surveying
the immense plains around. Some idea could be formed
also of the wilderness through which the Children of Israel
passed, on their way to Canaan, the promised land. Soon
after continuing our journey, the elevation became greater,
and quantities of snow in large patches were seen lying
on the ground. Just before reaching Archer, distant
ranges of the Rocky Mountains became visible, having
peaks covered with perpetual snow; but, in consequence
of defective power in our locomotive, Cheyenne, the
dinner station (a town 5,931 feet above the level of the
sea, consisting chiefly of detached wooden houses,) was
not reached until 4 p.m., when the train drew up at a
short distance from the Inter-Ocean Hotel. After leaving
Cheyenne, numerous snow sheds were passed, erected at
intervals to protect the railway from great snow drifts in
heavy winter storms; and during the night we ascended
to Sherman, (8,235 feet above the level of the sea, a point
more elevated than the summit of the Rigi, and the highest
railway station in the world) where the cold became severe,
and the snow in places was several feet deep.
On April 21st all through the day we continued to
travel in the midst of a wild, barren, desolate region, with
long ranges of lofty, snow-capped mountains in the distance,
and snow in great abundance everywhere. There
was neither foliage nor vegetation, and though the railway
carriages were warmed, the cold outside was piercing.
For several hours we passed repeatedly under snow sheds,
of which there were considerable numbers; and, in consequence
of our detention on the previous day, arrived at the
breakfast station very late. In the afternoon, at 3 o'clock,
Evanstone, 6,870 feet above the level of the sea, was
reached, and towards the evening we descended gradually
towards the valleys, where the wild and desolate character
of the scenery gave way to grandeur and magnificence.
At Ogden (35 miles only from Salt Lake City, where the
Union Pacific Railway terminates and the Central Pacific
begins) we arrived at 7 o'clock, and after waiting there an
hour and a quarter, changed trains; but were obliged
to be satisfied then merely with a "section," as the only
little private room in the next train had been engaged.
On April 22nd we rose at half past 5, at 9 a.m. reached
Elko, Nevada, 5,650 feet above the level of the sea, and
afterwards travelled across the American alkali desert,
consisting of vast plains covered with sage brush, bounded
by long, snowy mountain ranges. At Wells, an elevation
of only 5,030 feet above the level of the sea, where
the train stopped for half an hour, we observed groups of
Indians, wrapped either in scarlet blankets or in striped
woollen mantles dyed with brilliant colours. They wore
curious looking hats, trimmed with feathers and wide
ribbons, and had their faces painted with patches of vermilion.
At some of the stations a few Chinese also were
standing about, with their hair plaited in long tails, reaching
nearly to the heels. At Bewawe and Battle Mountain
there were more Indians, and towards evening we
reached Winnemucca, where several copper-coloured men
and women gathered round the train. On the morning
of April 23rd, at a very early hour, we entered California,
and then the ascent of the Sierra Nevada Mountains
became so steep that two locomotives were employed to
draw the train up hill. At short intervals strong wooden
snow sheds, like tunnels, had been erected, as a protection
to the railway against injury from heavy snow drifts;
but they could be regarded only as necessary evils, on
account of the interruption they occasioned to the possibility
of seeing everything around. At 6 o'clock we
reached Summit Station, 7,042 feet above the level of the
sea, an elevation to which the train had been gradually
mounting in the night, and here a magnificent prospect
of indescribable grandeur suddenly burst upon our view.
Far above the station innumerable mountain peaks were
towering towards the sky; the sun, which shone brilliantly,
lighted up the snow to a whiteness that was dazzling;
deep abysses, chasms, and ravines surrounded us; millions
of pine and fir-trees were growing up the mountains' sides;
and thousands of feet far down below, valleys clothed with
the richest verdure, added beauty to the scene.
During the construction of this wonderful mountain
railway, it is said that the sum spent upon blasting-powder
alone amounted to a million dollars. At 8 o'clock, the
door of our compartment was thrown open, and the conductor
called out, "Cape Horn!" when all the passengers
jumped up immediately and looked intently out of window,
for the train was travelling slowly along the very edge of
a precipice, 2,450 feet in height; a point from which an
extensive landscape of great beauty could be seen extending
far and wide. After leaving "Cape Horn," we crossed
a timber bridge, erected over a portion of the valley, proceeded
to "Emigrant's Gap," thence to Colfax, and afterwards
descended the mountain with a rush, further on into
California, where the weather was warm, and the country
looked most beautiful, the trees being covered with foliage,
and the ground highly cultivated everywhere. For many
miles we passed rich meadow land, and numbers of large
trees; the fields were covered with grass, intermingled
with brilliant masses of wild flowers; lupines, eschcoltzias,
wild roses, geraniums, etc., were flourishing in many
places, and millions of Californian poppies of an intense
yellow, deepening into orange colour, outshone all the
rest. An American gentleman once said: "I never saw
flowers till I saw them in California." At half past 10
we arrived at Sacramento, and, after remaining there an
hour, travelled all day through a beautiful part of the
country, favoured with fine summer weather. In the
course of the afternoon Livermore and Niles were reached,
the train stopped a few minutes at San José, and finally
we arrived at Oakland, a suburb of San Francisco, where
two gentlemen entered the carriage who welcomed us
cordially, and earnestly invited my husband to preach
there. At 5.35 we alighted at the station, where two
brethren were kindly waiting to receive us, with whom we
went on board the "El Capitan," a large ferry steamer;
and, after crossing the Bay, landed at San Francisco,
where our friends conducted us to the rooms they had
engaged at the Palace Hotel.
Thus ended our journey of 2,390 miles (from St. Louis),
accomplished in six days and five nights, the longest railway
journey we had ever taken at one time; and truly
thankful to the Lord were we for His protecting care during
our travels, and for the comforts of the resting place now
provided for us.
On the evening of Friday, April 26th, at the lecture
room of the Calvary Presbyterian Church, Mr. Müller
gave his first address at San Francisco; and, after the
meeting was over, James Wilkinson, an orphan formerly
on Ashley Down, came up to speak to him. He had been
living in the United States for fifteen years, and was not
only converted himself, but had been used by the Lord
as an instrument of great blessing to the souls of others.
On Sunday morning, April 28th, Mr. Müller preached at
the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, Tyler Street, to about
1,800 people; in the evening he addressed nearly 2,000
at the same church; and on the 29th preached at the
Metropolitan Temple to a congregation of 800.
On the 30th, a gentleman called in his carriage and took
us for a drive to Cliff House, seven miles distant, near the
Golden Gate, a strait two miles wide, which leads from the
Bay into the Pacific Ocean. Many years ago the spot on
which San Francisco now stands was covered with hills
formed of sand, blown there in immense quantities from the
shores of the Pacific by the strong winds which constantly
prevail; but now a "magnificent city" (as some call it)
has been erected upon the site that formerly was nothing
but a barren waste. Upon arriving at the coast of the
Pacific, we took a walk upon the beach, a vast region
composed entirely of sand, which, as no rain falls in California
from the middle of April until October, becomes
extremely troublesome, because it is blown inland in prodigious
quantities for miles by the trade winds, for which
that locality is noted. During the winter rain falls every
day; but frost, except in the mountains and northern
portions of the State (generally speaking), is unknown.
During our walk the tide was nearly high; but when low,
beautiful shells in great variety are found upon these
shores. After walking some time upon the sands, our
friend conducted us to Cliff House, an hotel built upon a
high rock overlooking the ocean, where, from a balcony,
we had an opportunity of observing the sea-lions, by which
the rocks that stand out in the sea are frequented.
Hundreds of these curious, amphibious creatures were
there, with their pointed heads, and bodies shining with
salt water. Some were basking in the sunshine on dry
portions of the cliffs, others were plunging into the sea,
several were climbing up sloping places on the rocks, and
others were barking discordantly. Soon after our arrival
at Cliff House, a young waiter introduced himself as the
brother of Emma Evans, one of the orphans formerly on
Ashley Down. He knew we were in the United States,
and having often heard Mr. Müller preach in Bristol
years ago, recognized him with great delight, and before
our departure presented us with a beautiful bouquet of
flowers, as a little token of his gratitude.
After our return to San Francisco, on the evening of
that day, my husband preached at the First Congregational
Church, to a large assembly, with great help and
earnestness. Amongst the congregation were some
Chinese, who occupied front seats near the pulpit. On
the afternoon of May 1st we visited China Town, situated
in a part of San Francisco called Sacramento, which is
thickly peopled with Chinese, where thousands of them
live. The ground floors of many of their houses contain
shops filled with curious and costly articles, manufactured
by the natives of China and Japan; but most of the
Chinese live down in places like cellars underneath their
shops, where they dwell crowded together, smoking and
eating quantities of opium. On the evening of that day,
Mr. Müller preached at Broadway German Methodist
Episcopal Church, when he addressed a large number of
Germans in their own language; and the following evening
held a meeting at a church in Howard Street. On
May 3rd, we walked to the top of a hill not far distant,
and from it looked down upon the Bay, and upon San
Francisco.
"The first house ever built there was in the year 1835,
which was the commencement of a village, afterwards
called 'Yerba Buena,' or good herb, from a medicinal
plant growing in great abundance in the vicinity. At the
present time, great numbers of eucalyptus trees flourish
in the neighbourhood; which, from their sanitary properties,
are considered a great blessing to the people. In
1847 the name of the city was changed to San Francisco;
in 1848 (the year that gold was first discovered in California),
the population had grown to 1,000; and from
this small beginning it steadily increased, until in 1870 it
reached 149,482. Now, the city contains about 256,000
inhabitants, including 50,000 Chinese, and many thousands
of negroes."
On the evening of that day, Mr. Müller preached at the
Calvary Presbyterian Church, to about 1,200 people, when
he spoke for nearly an hour and a half, with great power
and earnestness. On Sunday, May 5th, he preached in the
morning at the First Baptist Church, and in the evening
at the Calvary Presbyterian, from Romans viii. 28-30,
when the Church (a very large one) was crowded to the
utmost, the body of the building and the galleries being
so thronged, that numbers who could not gain admittance
went away. His appeal to believers, and words of warning
to the unconverted, were of a weighty, solemn character.
Several gentlemen and ladies occupied seats upon
the platform, and the steps leading up to it were filled
with hearers. On the 6th, at 2 in the afternoon, he
attended a meeting of pastors belonging to the city and
the State (some of whom came a distance of 20, 30, and
50 miles in order to be present at the meeting), when he
addressed about 150 of his brethren in the ministry for an
hour and 20 minutes. In the evening at the Tabernacle,
Tyler Street, he preached a farewell sermon. The
congregation was large; numbers took leave of us
as they left the building, and a beautiful bouquet of
choice flowers was handed in as a parting gift by a gentleman
who once lived in England.
On May 8th we left San Francisco and went to Oakland,
where Mr. Müller preached in the evening at the
First Baptist Church. On the 9th he addressed 1,000
people at the First Congregational Church, and on the
10th preached to about the same number at the First
Methodist Church. On the 11th a gentleman took us in
his carriage to visit the University of California, six miles
distant, which stands upon high ground, commanding a
distant view of the Bay, Government Island, Goat Island,
etc.; but we could see only the exterior of the buildings,
as they were closed to visitors on Saturdays. On our return
we drove through Oakland, a name derived from the
fine groves of "live oaks," in the midst of which the town
was originally built. These trees are not ornamental only,
but they serve to screen the place from the fierce gales
that blow through the "Golden Gap" in summer, to the
force of which Oakland is particularly exposed; for the
climate of San Francisco and the neighbourhood has this
peculiarity, that in summer the strongest and most trying
winds prevail, though, at all times of the year, trade
winds from the Pacific set in every morning at 11 o'clock,
and last for about five hours. During our drive, the only
discomfort was the dust, which, from the lack of rain in
this country, soon becomes extremely troublesome; and
the scorching heat of the sun would have been overpowering,
if it had not been tempered by breezes from the Bay.
On Sunday morning, May 12th, Mr. Müller preached at
the First Methodist Episcopal Church, from 1st Chron.
4-10, to a large, attentive audience, and, when the service
was over, Sheang Chack, a Chinese convert, who
labours amongst his own countrymen, came to shake hands
with us.
In the evening my husband preached at the First
Presbyterian Church, a large building in the shape of an
amphitheatre, where there was a "Union Service," all the
principal churches having been closed, that their congregations
might attend this meeting. He spoke for an
hour from Lamentations iii. 22-26; but the crowd was
so great that hundreds were unable to obtain admittance.
After the service, a pastor said—"We have had a
glorious meeting." On the afternoon of the 13th, Mr.
Müller addressed the young ladies at Mills' Seminary, six
miles from Oakland; in the evening he preached in German
at the Methodist Episcopal Church; and on the
following day attended a Sunday School State Convention
at San Francisco, where he addressed many hundreds
of Christian Workers for an hour and a quarter.
Early on the morning of May 15th we left by rail for
Santa Cruz, in South California, on the Pacific coast, 120
miles from San Francisco; and after a tedious journey
reached our destination at 4 o'clock. Rooms had been
engaged for us at Pope's Cottage, a boarding-house in
a lovely situation on a hill, about a mile from the sea
shore; and in the evening at 8, Mr. Müller preached at
the Methodist Episcopal Church, where we were heartily
welcomed both by the pastor and the congregation. On
the following evening, he held another meeting, also at
the same church.
On the 17th we went by rail to Felton, seven miles from
Santa Cruz, to see some of the "Big Trees," for which
California is celebrated; and after crossing a rustic
bridge and passing through a shady glen, reached a
secluded spot, where the large trees became more immense
than usual. Some of them are of gigantic growth, and
shoot up their tall, straight trunks, like towering masts
into the sky. The largest of these trees is 62 feet in circumference;
its height was originally 371 feet, but the
upper portion of the trunk having been blown off, its present
height is only 296 feet. It is a kind of cedar, called the
"red wood," belonging to the "Sequoia Gigantea"
species; but in other parts of California, there are "Big
Trees" considerably larger than the ones we saw. At
Mariposa, for instance, the "Grizzly Giant" is 107 feet
in circumference, 34 in diameter, and 400 high; and the
first branch (nearly 200 feet from the ground) is 8 feet
in diameter. In the evening, after our return, Mr. Müller
preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church, for the third
and last time at Santa Cruz, as, in consequence of other
engagements, we were unable to prolong our stay.
On May 30th, at 9.30 a.m., we set off, viâ Pajaro, for
San José (pronounced Yozée); and, after a journey by rail
of 70 miles, arrived there in the afternoon at half-past 2.
At the Auzierais Hotel, the following letter from a pastor
at Oakland, was awaiting our arrival:—
"Oakland, May 15th, 1878.
"Dear Brother,—I have just returned from our
prayer meeting, and it may be a source of gratitude and
encouragement to you to know, that very many testimonies
were given to the great benefit received from your ministrations
here. In fact there is evidence on every hand,
that the seed you have sown, has taken root in many
hearts. The faith of God's children has been greatly
strengthened, and principles of divine truth and Christian
life have been received through your teaching, which will
be of great good for many many years to come. I rejoice
with hundreds of others here, that God has led you to
these shores, to teach us the way of God more perfectly.
May the Lord wonderfully sustain you and your good wife,
in your labours from place to place. You will have the
prayers of a host of brethren beloved, who will henceforth
have a great interest in you personally, and a still deeper
interest in the cause of our dear Lord which you are
labouring to promote.—With much love and gratitude for
your faithful services, I am
"Your Brother in Christ,
* * * *."
That night at 8 o'clock, Mr. Müller preached for the first
time at San José, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, where,
though it was Saturday evening, there was a large congregation.
He preached also on the morning and evening of
Sunday the 19th, to crowded audiences at the same Church.
At the close of the latter meeting, numbers of friends came
forward to shake hands with us, who, in the warmest terms,
expressed delight at our visit to their city. "San José is
in the middle of the Santa Clara Valley; and, in consequence
of its healthful climate, which is a medium
between the cold winds of the coast, and the hot valleys of
the interior, is much resorted to by invalids. One street
is occupied entirely by French inhabitants, and another
quarter only by Chinese." During our stay there, on
May 20th, we took a drive through Alameda Valley, to
Santa Clara, a beautiful little town three miles distant,
which contains several Churches, Schools, and the Pacific
University. Here Mr. Müller preached twice; and besides
the inhabitants of Santa Clara, several persons from San
José came over to attend the meetings; but we remained
one night only, and late on the evening of the 21st returned
to San José.
The next morning a letter arrived from San Francisco,
written by a lady, who earnestly commended her only
daughter to our prayers. This young person was converted
at the age of 15, but two years afterwards became a prey
to the delusions of Spiritualism, to which she clung tenaciously
for nine years. At San Francisco, however, she
heard Mr. Müller preach several times, and was so impressed
by one sermon in particular, that her poor mother
fully hoped she would be restored to soundness in the
faith. She wrote—"You are the first person who has
found the way to her heart for these nine years. She
crossed the Bay last Sunday morning to hear you, and
says she would not have lost that sermon for 100 dollars.
Oh! how much I wish you could see her! but, as you
cannot, what I want is, that you will make her case a
special subject of prayer. She is dearer to me than my
own life, and I would be willing to die a thousand deaths
to save her. Oh! help by your prayers.—Mrs. ——."
Early on the morning of May 22nd, we went by rail to
Stockton, 70 miles from San José, where, at 3 in the
afternoon, Mr. Müller addressed 22 pastors, and about 130
other Christian workers for an hour and ten minutes, and,
during our short stay, held two other meetings. At Stockton
the heat became oppressive, and walking out of doors in
the middle of the day was given up. There, too, at night
we had terrible conflict with the mosquitos; but though
we killed them by the score, could do very little in the
way of exterminating the foe, so that our visit to Stockton
was marked by a regular mosquito war. Our rest at
night was so disturbed, that we were scarcely fit for
travelling; but, having been repeatedly advised by several
Christian friends, on no account to leave California without
visiting the celebrated Yosemite Valley, in that State;
and as my husband desired to have a little break for a few
days, after so much constant preaching; on May 24th, at
8 a.m. we left by train for Milton, 30 miles from Stockton.
There, a large, old-fashioned conveyance, combining coach
and omnibus together, was waiting for the passengers,
into which we, and several others stepped; and—drawn
by four horses—were driven off towards the Sierra Nevada
mountains. For some miles our road lay across an open
plain, without houses, where the scanty vegetation was
nearly burned up by the sun's scorching rays, and what
little wind there was resembled a sirocco; but, after a drive
of fourteen miles, we arrived at Copperopolis—so called
from the quantity of copper ore found there. At one
o'clock, after changing horses, we left Copperopolis—reached
Chinese Camp, eighteen miles further, at 4; and,
after getting into a smaller conveyance, at 6 o'clock continued
our journey, with only one gentleman passenger
besides ourselves. Though often told that travelling by
Californian stage-waggon would prove an adventure never
to be forgotten, scarcely were we prepared for the unpleasant
jolting that now awaited us. Our coachman drove
furiously. Rough and smooth, hill and dale, all were
alike to him. Now we were driven over one great stone,
and then came into collision with another; and as for a
drag, going down hill, such a thing was never thought of.
The man was doubtless an experienced driver, or at any
rate he was a fearless one; but, being ourselves sober-minded
persons, unaccustomed to such "go ahead" proceedings,
we should have been thankful to take things
more quietly; and besides this, desired greatly to reach our
journey's end, with no bruises and without broken bones.
Through the Lord's kindness, however, we reached Priest's
Hotel (on a high hill, twelve miles from Chinese Camp) in
safety, where we alighted for the night; and, after a
journey of eleven hours and a half, retired immediately
to rest. Our room was small, and reminded us of the
little apartment we occupied at the Hospice on Mount St.
Gothard, Switzerland, but it was comfortable, and not a
single mosquito was there to disturb our night's repose.
The next morning we rose punctually at 4, and at 5 our
journey in another stage waggon, drawn by five horses,
was continued. The early morning air was cool and
pleasant, and the sky unclouded; but our new driver
urged on the horses also to their utmost speed, and, after
rattling up and down steep declivities, and galloping
along rugged roads, we reached the end of a stage of about
18 miles, and got into another waggon. Our next coachman,
happily, was of a different mould, for he conducted
us slowly and carefully along. At 12 we reached the
dinner station, and at 1 set off again in another waggon,
with five fresh horses. At 3 o'clock we alighted at some
"Big Trees," the largest of which was 66 feet in circumference,
and 420 feet in height; and, through the trunk
of a tree partially burned down, a road was being made,
wide enough for two carriages side by side to be driven
between the outside portions of the stump. After leaving
the "Big Trees," our journey was continued, and,
having gradually all the morning been going up hill, an
elevation of about 8,000 feet above the level of the sea was
shortly reached, where much snow lay upon the ground. At
about 4 o'clock we began gradually to descend into the
Valley; and, as the waggon was slowly driven down hill, the
wonders of the great Yosemite (pronounced Yozemitty)
at every turn broke in upon us. Stupendous perpendicular
precipices, as we advanced, reared their gigantic summits,
like enormous walls into the sky; the Bridal Veil Waterfall,
with its rainbow hues, looked beautiful; whole ranges
of rocky peaks and towering heights were seen; and one
Cataract succeeded another, until at last, soon after 6 o'clock,
we drove up to Barnard's Hotel, exactly opposite the Falls
of the Yosemite.
The next morning (Sunday, May 26th) Mr. Müller
preached in the large dining-room of the hotel, where he
addressed the visitors of the house, and of the two other
hotels in the Valley. A gentleman from San Francisco,
another from the Eastern States, a lawyer from Washington,
two gentlemen from England, some ladies, and a
number of other persons formed the congregation. After
the service we conversed with several, and distributed little
books and tracts amongst them, which were gratefully
accepted. Being without hymn books, there was no singing;
and our only music was the thunder of the Cataract
close by.
The next morning we surveyed the "Falls of the Yosemite,
three in one, formed by a stream of water which
takes a leap of 1,600 feet from the top of the rock into a
vast basin of rock, where, gathering strength, it again
leaps forth a distance of 434 feet, and, falling between the
North Dome and the Three Brothers, rebounds, and takes
its final plunge of 600 feet into the Valley. Twenty-four
thousand gallons of water roll over the edge of the cliff
every minute; and probably no Falls in the world can be
compared with these in height." During our brief sojourn
in the Yosemite, we visited all its chief points of interest.
"This Valley is on the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas,
and is a narrow gorge about 10 miles long and half a
mile in width, enclosed within gigantic granite precipices
like monstrous walls, which rise, almost unbroken and
perpendicular, to a height of from 4,000 to 6,000 feet
above the green, quiet vale beneath. Its most remarkable
features are its perpendicular walls, and their great height,
as compared with the narrow width of the Valley. In the
spring and early summer it is one vast flower garden, and
plants, shrubs, and flowers, of every hue, cover the ground
as with a carpet. El Capitan is the most prominent
attraction it contains, which, though not as high as some
of its giant neighbours, is remarkable for its isolation,
height, prodigious breadth, bold shape, and defiant attitude,
as it stands up like an enormous wall, the Great
Chief of the Yosemite. It is 3,300 feet above the Valley,—which
is itself 4,000 feet above the level of the sea—is
solid, massive, seamless, thousands of millions of tons
in weight; and its grey granite sides, destitute of vegetation,
are perpendicular."[B] The Bridal Veil Waterfall
leaps a distance of 940 feet into the Valley, and a beautiful
rainbow was produced by the sun's rays as they fell
upon it. From Artists' Point and Inspiration Point, a
fine general view of the Yosemite is obtained; and three
miles off is Mirror Lake, at the foot of, and between the
North and South Dome, which reflects every rock, ledge,
and mountain like a mirror. The Cathedral Rocks, the
Sentinel Rock, the Three Brothers, etc., also form a portion
of the mountain scenery. The Vernal Fall (or :
Cataract
of Diamonds) and the Nevada Falls, in wild, romantic
situations, are also grand and beautiful; but, as the wonders
of this neighbourhood, if entered into fully, would
require a volume, a minute description of them cannot be
attempted.
On May 29th we rose at half past 4, and at 6, after
taking outside seats, started, with ten other passengers,
in a stage waggon, drawn by five horses, on our return
journey. Our drive up the mountains, which was slow and
gradual, occupied several hours; but in the afternoon we
began to descend them on the other side, when the road
became wider and the route less solitary, and at 4 o'clock
a cart approached, in which a man and woman were seated.
They drew up on one side of the road to let us pass, when,
just as our waggon reached the spot, the woman stood
up and eagerly called out, "Is that George Müller?"
"It is," was the reply. "Then I must shake hands with
you, Sir. I have read your 'Life of Trust,' and it has
been a great blessing to my soul." With this the good
woman leaned forward and stretched out her hand; we
shook hands also with her husband; but who they were,
and whence they came, we knew not, nor was there any
time to ask. Her last words were, "Pray for me!"
After changing horses twice, towards evening we reached
a district upon level ground, which had been cut up into
a vast number of furrows and channels for gold digging,
where hundreds of acres had been cleared completely of
the precious metal. At 6 o'clock we reached Priest's
Hotel, and were afterwards driven at a rapid rate down
the steep hill close to it. A ferry boat then conveyed us
across the Tuama River whilst seated in the waggon; the
horses waded through Wood's Creek, and at last we reached
the Garret House, Chinese Camp, where at half past 7 we
alighted for the night. The next day we rose at half
past 3, and at a quarter before 5 were again "en route."
At the Union Hotel, Copperopolis, we arrived in two
hours and three-quarters, and at half past 10 reached
Milton, from which place we went on immediately by rail
to Stockton, where our luggage (which had been telegraphed
for) was sent to meet us at the station.
At a quarter past 12 on the same day (May 30th) we
left for Sacramento, the capital of California, 48 miles
from Stockton, where Mr. Müller preached at one of the
Churches in the evening to about 1,000 persons. The
next morning, at 10 o'clock, he held another meeting, and
in the evening preached, for the third and last time, at
Sacramento to a very large audience.
On June 1st, at 2 p.m., we set off by the Central Pacific
Railway for Salt Lake City; on the 2nd distributed little
books and tracts amongst the passengers, by whom the train
was crowded; and at 8 a.m., on June 3rd, reached Ogden,
where, branching off for Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah—1,068
miles West of Omaha, and 916 East of San Francisco—we
arrived at 11.40 the same morning. "It lies in a
great valley, extending close to the Wahsatch Mountains
on the North, with more than 100 miles of plains stretching
towards the South; beyond which, in the distance,
rise snow-covered mountains, the highest of which is
11,400 feet above the level of the sea. The waters of the
Great Salt Lake are so salt, that no living creature can
exist in them. The city covers an area of nine square
miles, its streets—or roads—are long and very wide;
and, as each dwelling has a garden, or orchard, the whole
place looks like one large plantation." In the evening,
at the Congregational Church, Mr. Müller preached the
gospel in this city (which is the great stronghold of
Mormonism), in the plainest, clearest, most decided
manner; and on the following day had interviews with
several Christians.
Before our departure we visited the great Mormon
Tabernacle, said to hold 13,000 people. It is of wood,
and has 46 pillars of red sandstone, with an immense
dome resting on them like a roof; but it did not look
large enough to contain more than from 9,000 to 10,000
at the utmost. Lion House, the former residence of
Brigham Young, was also pointed out. His body lies
buried in a miserable, neglected piece of ground—a sort
of back yard—and his grave is covered by a large, flat
stone, bearing an inscription; but what the epitaph upon
it was, we did not care to ascertain. The residences of
his 18 wives are also in the city. From Camp Douglas, a
military station which stands upon an eminence outside the
town, Salt Lake City appears embowered in trees, and little
more than the roofs of the houses are visible.
In the evening Mr. Müller preached at the Methodist
Church, where he addressed a large congregation, including
several Mormons; and after the service conversed
with many of the hearers. Having been told
that his ministry was more needed at Salt Lake City,
than at almost any other place in the world, he greatly
regretted being unable to hold other meetings; but as
our time was limited, and engagements had been
made for other places, we could not possibly remain.
The morning of June 5th, therefore, was fixed upon for
our departure, when we rose at a quarter before 5, and
at 7 o'clock left by train for Ogden, 35 miles distant,
whence, after engaging a "section" in a Pullman's carriage,
we set off, at 10, by the Union Pacific Railway, for Omaha.
The train (a very long one) was full of passengers, and,
when seated in the carriage, we heard that a gentleman,
an invalid, had died suddenly the night before, whilst
travelling on the Central Pacific Railway. After he had
retired to his berth, a violent fit of coughing came on,
which occasioned the rupture of a blood vessel, and in
three minutes he was dead. He was not accompanied by
any relative or friend. Some railway officials carried his
body immediately into the smoking compartment; but
though the circumstance was concealed from the other
passengers as much as possible, the sad event soon became
generally known. On the 6th we breakfasted at Rock
Creek; reached Summit House, Sherman, 8,235 feet
above the level of the sea, at half-past one; dined at
Cheyenne; and, after travelling for some hours, reached
the prairies on which there were a few wild antelopes and
immense herds of cattle, followed by men on horseback
keeping them together. At 2 o'clock, on June 7th, we
reached Tremont, and at 4.30 arrived at Omaha, a journey
of 1,032 miles from Ogden. At a quarter before 5 our
journey was continued, when, after crossing the Missouri,
we went on to Council Bluffs, and there got into a train
with an hotel car attached to it, containing a kitchen and
a dining-room. On June 8th we rose early, breakfasted
at 7 in the dining-room, reached Davenport at 11, and,
after crossing the Mississippi, arrived at Rock Island, the
other side of the river. Later in the day we crossed the
Illinois, and at 4 in the afternoon arrived at Chicago,
after a journey of 503 miles from Omaha.
On Sunday morning (the 9th) Mr. Müller preached at the
First Congregational Church, to about 1,500 people; and
in the evening held a meeting at Mr. Moody's Tabernacle,
which seats 3,000. It contained an immense audience,
and numbers—including the choir—were on the platform
"Hold the fort, for I am coming," was sung with great
spirit at the opening of the service, the vast audience
joining heartily in the chorus; and after prayer and the
reading of the Scriptures, my husband spoke for an hour
with much help and earnestness. When the meeting was
over, William Howell, an orphan, formerly on Ashley
Down, who left in 1860, came up to shake hands with us.
He was delighted to meet his early friend and benefactor.
On the following afternoon, Mr. Müller spoke at Farwell
Hall for an hour and a quarter to an audience of
about 2,500, including many pastors; after the meeting
we shook hands with multitudes, amongst whom were
two more Orphans, formerly on Ashley Down, and on the
morning of the 11th, we took a drive with some friends
through Chicago, when the scene of the great conflagration
of October, 1871, was pointed out.
"It had its origin in a small wooden barn or cow-shed,
in the Western district of the city, and, the fire gradually
increasing, the flames, fanned by a strong westerly wind,
at last raged like a furnace, sweeping everything before
them; so that stone, iron, brick, and other hard substances
were burned up like chaff, the intensity of the
heat being indescribable. From the very outset the fire
had been completely beyond the control of any human
agency, and it was only after it had raged with the utmost
fury for upwards of four and twenty hours, that a great
storm providentially drenched the city, and stopped the
progress of the flames. The number of buildings destroyed
was 17,450, and 98,500 persons were rendered homeless;
but the hearts of millions were touched by the catastrophe,
and from all parts of the world contributions for the
relief of the sufferers were sent in. Three millions and a
half of dollars promptly came to hand, and were the
means (under God) of saving Chicago from the horrors
which usually follow such an awful calamity."
On the afternoon of that day, Mr. Müller preached
again at Farwell Hall; and in the evening we attended a
"reception," at a gentleman's house, where about 50
Christian friends had been invited to meet us. On the
morning of the 12th my husband addressed about 200
pastors and ministers for an hour and a quarter; and in a
note from a hearer received afterwards the writer said,—"The
meeting this morning was one of power. I do not
know of better days in the churches and in Farwell Hall
than these. The witness our Lord has sent by Mr.
Müller is one of our greatest blessings." In the evening
my husband preached at Dr. Gibson's Church from the
Epistle of Jude, verses 20, 21, and on the following morning
spoke (for the last time at Chicago) at Farwell Hall,
on the Second Coming of Christ, to nearly 2,000 people, a
subject which led many to inquire about this truth, who
afterwards obtained light respecting it.
In the afternoon at 5 o'clock, we left by rail for Cleveland,
Ohio, 353 miles from Chicago; travelled along the
shores of Lake Michigan—a great inland sea, 500 miles
in length, and from 90 to 100 miles in breadth; and on
June 14th, at 7 a.m., arrived at Cleveland, where Mr.
Müller preached six times at the great Tabernacle to
immense congregations, occasionally numbering about
3,000. His last address, on June 17th, was upon the
Second Coming of the Lord, when he spoke with great
help and power. At Cleveland we remained a short time
only; for having (when at San Francisco) received an
earnest invitation to return to Washington, on account of
the blessing which accompanied his ministry during our
first visit; on June 18th, at 5 p.m. we left, and after a
journey of 524 miles, arrived at Washington the next
morning at 9 o'clock. Here Mr. Müller held seven
meetings, including services at Lincoln Hall, the
Calvary Baptist, Wesley, Fourth Presbyterian, and
Lutheran Memorial Churches; and, on Sunday evening,
(June 23rd,) at the Metropolitan Church, he preached a
farewell sermon from 2nd Tim. iv. 7, 8.
On June 24th we rose at half past 3, left Washington
by an early train, and reached Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, at
11 a.m., where we visited the field upon which, on the 1st,
2nd, and 3rd of July, 1863, the great battle was fought between
the Union forces of the Americans under General
Meade, and the Confederate army under General Lee,
when the latter was defeated with a loss of many thousands
of men. "In the National, or Soldiers' Cemetery
on the hill, there is a monument 60 feet high, around
which are ranged, in semi-circular slopes, the graves of
many who fell during the war. The divisions between
the States are marked by alleys and pathways radiating
from the monument to the outer circle, the rows of graves
being divided by continuous granite blocks, a few inches
high, upon which are the name and regiment of each
soldier, as far as could be ascertained. Originally about
32,000 corpses were interred in this Cemetery, but eventually
the Southern States removed the bodies of their
own soldiers and deposited them elsewhere." To look
upon this burial ground, literally sown with the corpses
of the slain, was an affecting sight; but Jesus is coming
and the resurrection, when "all that are in the graves
shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that
have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they
that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation."
This Cemetery is kept in beautiful order by the Government.
After leaving it, we returned to Gettysburg, and in the
evening a meeting was held at the College Church, when
Mr. Müller addressed the students at Pennsylvania
College, the students of the Theological Seminary, and a
large number of other persons for an hour and 20 minutes.
On June 25th, we rose at 5, and leaving Gettysburg by
the 6.45 train, reached New York the same afternoon,
where we remained until Thursday, the 27th, and on the
afternoon of that day, at 2 o'clock, sailed in the "Adriatic,"
(White Star Line,) for Liverpool. On Sunday morning,
June 30th, Mr. Müller gave an address from John xiv.
2, 3, to the cabin passengers, ship's officers, and a few
steerage passengers in the saloon, and held a conversational
meeting likewise in the afternoon. On the following
Sunday morning, July 7th, he gave another address
in the saloon, a service which closed his labours for that
tour. In the course of it he spoke 308 times in public,
and we travelled nineteen thousand and fifty miles by land
and water altogether. At 3 p.m. we landed at Liverpool,
returned the following day to Bristol, and upon arriving
in an open carriage at the top of Ashley Hill at half past 4,
found a little army of the Orphan boys and girls, with
almost all our helpers at the Orphan Houses, waiting to
receive us. There, as we slowly drove along, the boys
cheered heartily, and the girls waved their handkerchiefs,
determined (as a by-stander remarked) to give us "a right
royal welcome"; and at the entrance of New Orphan
House No. 3, a crowd of children closed around us, with
loving, friendly greetings.
FIFTH TOUR. — CONTINENT OF EUROPE. From Sept. 5th, 1878, to June 18th, 1879.
After remaining at the Orphan Houses on Ashley
Down for eight weeks and three days, (a period
which gave Mr. Müller time to attend to business connected
with the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and
to resume his public ministry in Bristol,) on Sept. 5th,
1878, we went to Dover, crossed over to Calais the next
morning, and reached Paris by rail at 6 p.m. On Sunday,
the 8th—morning and evening—my husband
preached in English at the Chapelle Evangélique, Rue
Royale, and held another meeting there on the evening of
the 9th. On the following day we left Paris for Dijon,
and passed the night there; rose at 4 the next morning;
and, after continuing our journey to Neuchâtel, proceeded
thence to Berne, where we arrived at 7 o'clock. On the
evening of Thursday, Sept. 12th, Mr. Müller preached in
German at the Salle Evangélique, which was crowded to
overflowing, the lower part of the building, galleries, and
staircases being thronged. On the 13th, he held a meeting
at the Eglise Française; on the 14th addressed
some poor people at a small Institution at Muri, near
Berne; on the 15th, 16th, and 17th, preached at the
great Eglise Française to very large congregations; gave
an address on the morning of the 18th, at a Seminary near
the Fest Hütte to 65 young men who were being trained
for teachers; and at 2 p.m. the same day we left by rail
for Thun, 18 miles from Berne. From there we drove to
Gurzelen, a village on the mountains, three miles from
Thun, in a lovely situation near the Alps, where, for the
benefit of the poor of that locality, my husband held two
meetings at a Vereins Haus, which was crowded with
people from the country. On Sept. 19th we returned to
Berne, and the following evening attended a social meeting
of Christians at "Die Enge," where he gave an address,
and afterwards answered some important questions that
were put to him. On the afternoon of Sept. 21st he
spoke to between 600 and 700 Christian workers—including
300 teachers of different denominations—at the Salle
Evangélique; held a meeting on the afternoon of Sunday,
the 22nd, at the Fest Hütte, and on the evening of
that day preached a farewell sermon, at the Eglise Française,
to an immense audience. On this occasion his subject
was the Second Coming of the Lord, on which he
was enabled to speak with great power, and much to the
profit of his hearers, as we heard afterwards. At the
close of this meeting, before the benediction, Colonel von
Büren rose, and, on behalf of the Christians of Berne,
thanked him publicly for his visit to the city; and here,
before proceeding any further, it seems desirable to make
the following observations:—
Some of the readers of this Narrative may possibly feel
inclined to say—"With so much travelling from place to
place, so many public meetings, and such continual intercourse
with strangers, how does Mr. Müller find time to
attend to his own spiritual welfare? Whence does he
obtain refreshment for the inner man himself? How do
matters stand between his own soul and Christ?—because
persons who are continually engaged in ministering to
others, more than any class of individuals that can be
mentioned, require divine grace and wisdom for themselves."
The reply to such inquiries is this. Through
the goodness of the Lord, he is a man given to the reading
of the Scriptures and to prayer. Whether travelling or
at rest, a day never passes, without his devoting as much
time as possible to the diligent, prayerful study of the
word of God. He is a man of one book; and that book
is the Bible. Besides reading the Scriptures regularly
together early in the morning; in the course of the day,
whenever there is time, my husband employs it in studying
the Bible, in meditation, and in prayer. He waits
habitually upon God, and thus it is, that day by day, his
spiritual strength and vigour are renewed. This opportunity
is taken, however, of commending him earnestly to
the prayers of the Lord's people; whether he may be known
or unknown to them personally.
On Sept. 23rd, at 9 in the morning, some sweet singing
outside the door of our room announced the unexpected
arrival of Dr. Blösch, a party of Orphan girls belonging
to the Institution he has founded, and four teachers, who
all stood outside in the passage until the German hymn
was finished; when a large bouquet of flowers from the
gardens of the children was handed in, a wreath of ivy,
and an address in German, beautifully written, congratulating
Mr. Müller upon the approach of his birthday (on
the 27th) and giving him Isaiah liv. 10, as a Scripture
portion. These young girls brought a small contribution
also from their own little pocket money, for the Orphans
on Ashley Down. Their whole visit was of a most
touching character. After my husband had spoken to
them for a few minutes, they sang another hymn; we
then shook hands with them all, and the whole party took
leave of us.
On the 24th, we left Berne for Thun, at 10.40 a.m.,
proceeded thence by steamer to the other end of the
lake, and afterwards went on by rail to Interlaken, where
we arrived at 2 o'clock. There, at half-past 3, Mr.
Müller preached at the English Church in German; but,
as the weather was unfavourable, the congregation was
very small. On the evening of the following day, however,
when he held another meeting at the same Church, the
audience was about five times as large as it had been on
the previous afternoon. Interlaken is in the vicinity of the
glaciers of Grindelwald, the Faulhorn, and the Wengern
Alp; and is within a few miles of the waterfalls, Giessbach,
on Lake Brientz, and Staubbach in the Valley of
the Lauterbrunnen. The Jungfrau also, and other mountains,
can be seen from the town. From Interlaken, on
the 26th, we went to Thun, the chief town of the Bernese
Oberland, where, on that evening and the next, he
addressed crowded congregations at the German Methodist
Church. On the 28th, by particular invitation, we returned
to Gurzelen, where, on Sunday morning (29th),
Mr. Müller preached at the village Church to a congregation
of country people, some of whom had walked many
miles to hear him. This place of worship was a quaint,
old-fashioned building. An hour-glass on a stand (intended,
probably, to remind the preacher of the flight of
time, and to admonish him not to be too long in delivering
his discourse) projected conspicuously from the pulpit.
In the evening, my husband held a meeting at the Vereins
Haus, and there addressed a very crowded congregation.
On Sept. 30th, we went to Neuchâtel, in French
Switzerland, where, on Oct. the 1st and 2nd, he preached in
German, at "Le Temple," and held a "German-French"
meeting at the same place on the 3rd; that is, he occupied
the pulpit, and spoke in German, whilst a French
pastor, in the desk below, translated his Sermon into
French. The congregation was very large, and Monsieur
Nagel succeeded admirably with the translation. On the
4th, Mr. Müller held a second meeting of the same kind
at Le Temple, when he was listened to with the deepest
interest and attention; and the following morning a French
brother called to congratulate him on the success of his
ministry at Neuchâtel, "for"—said he—"Toute la population
a été saisie et émue." On Oct. 6th my husband
preached at the Salle des Conférences; on the 7th he
spoke in English at the Oratoire, and, on our return in the
evening, the following letter from one of his French hearers
arrived by post.
"Trés Révérend Monsieur le Pasteur Müller de Bristol,—Soyez
béni pour le bien que vous m'avez fait! Depuis
neuf ans, sans relâche, les plus cruelles epreuves m'ont été
dispensées. Il a plu au Seigneur, après des années
d'affreuses maladies, de me retirer une mère adorée, femme
éminente, puis, un père bien aimé, une s[oe]ur unique, un
neveu chéri comme un fils, et d'autres afflictions, et ensuite
et en même temps, d'une manière particulierement douleureuse,
les trois quarts de ma fortune. Il a plu au Seigneur
de m'envoyer coup sur coup, tous les déchirements, toutes
les douleurs, toutes les difficultés de la vie, et de me laisser
ainsi à l'entrée de la veillesse, dans le plus douleureux isolement.
Ma foi, jadis si ferme, défaillait, le découragement
m'écrasait; souvent je ne pouvais plus prier, et j'arrivais à
un état de mort spirituelle. Soyez béni Monsieur le Pasteur!
Il me fallait votre parole simple, ferme, concise, énergique,
convaincue, ardente, brulante de foi et d'amour, pour me
raviver un peu. Soyez béni, cher et venéré Pasteur!
J'ai suivi, quoique Suisse Française, toutes vos conférences,
et s'il plâit à Dieu, j'irai vous entendre encore demain, au
culte allemande, lundi an soir, à la Chapelle Anglaise, et
mardi, au dernier sermon allemand. Adieu, cher et venéré
Pasteur; que votre Dieu tout puissant, tout bon, vous
conserve pour sa gloire, et pour le bien de tous les mal-heureux.
Une s[oe]ur sous la croix."
On the evening of the 8th, at "Le Temple," Mr.
Müller gave a farewell address to the inhabitants of
Neuchâtel, and on the 11th we left for Lausanne, where,
on the 13th and 14th, he preached at "Le Temple Allemand,"
which was crowded in every part. On the 15th,
he held an English service at the Chapelle Ecossaise, and
on the 16th and 17th, preached in German—with translation
into French by Monsieur Duprat—at the Chapelle
des Terreaux. The next evening he held another English
service at the Chapelle Ecossaise; on the morning
of Sunday, the 20th, attended a Brethren's meeting for
the breaking of bread, where he gave an address, and in
the evening preached again at the Temple Allemand in
German. On Oct. 21st he preached in English at the
Chapelle du Valentin, and, on the 22nd, in German at
the Chapelle de Martheray; upon both occasions with
translation into French. On the 23rd we took a
drive to the Cimetière de la Sallaz, and visited the tomb
of Manuel Matomoros, the well known Spanish brother,
so long imprisoned in his native country for Christ's
sake, who died at Lausanne some time after his liberation
(aged 32) from the effects of ill-treatment received during
his confinement. The grave of the departed one—situated
in a beautiful part of the Cemetery—was surrounded
by an iron railing, and covered by a flat stone monument,
raised a little above the surface of the ground, on which
the following inscription in Spanish could easily be
read:—
MANUEL MATAMOROS
DE
MALAGA.
8 Octobre, 1834. 31 Julio, 1866.
"Porque yo me resuelvo en que lo que en este tiempo
se padece no es de comparar con la gloria venidera que
en nosotros ha de ser manifestada."—Rom. viii. 18.
"Y nos gloriamos en la esperanza de la gloria de Dios."—Rom.
v. 2.
"Por la ovra de Cristo ha llegado hasta la muerte."—Fili
(Phil.) ii. 30.
The tomb of this beloved brother was an interesting
object, and the Cemetery, in which it was, looked beautiful;
for, although the autumn was so far advanced, roses,
and other flowers were in full bloom. That evening
Mr. Müller preached at the Presbyterian Church, and on
the 24th, at the Temple Allemand, he gave a farewell
address; when, at the close of the service, Pastor Wagner—in
the name of the Evangelical Alliance—thanked
him, in the presence of the whole congregation, for his
labours at Lausanne. Before our departure we saw a
lime-tree at Prilly, measuring 14 yards round the trunk,
which was said to be 1,000 years old; but, though the
branches were large, and its circumference was great, it
looked small compared with the "Big Trees" of California.
On the afternoon of Oct. 25th, we left Lausanne and
embarked in a steamer at Ouchy (a small port on the
Lake of Geneva) for Vevey. There Mr. Müller preached
at the German Church in the evening; but, in consequence
of a heavy thunderstorm and the torrents of rain
which fell, the congregation was very small. On the
following Sunday morning we attended a Brethren's meeting
for the breaking of bread, where he spoke in English,
with translation into French; in the evening he preached
at the German Church a second time, and on the 28th
held his last meeting at Vevey, at the same church.
The next day we went on to Montreux, where he preached
that evening, and the next morning at the German Church.
On the morning of Oct. 31st, and Nov. 1st, and the afternoon
of Sunday, Nov. 3rd, at the Eglise Ecossaise, he
addressed large congregations of visitors staying at Montreux,
Bex, Aigle, Clarens, Vernex, and Vevey, and, on
the evening of the 3rd, preached at the Eglise Libre in
German, for the last time at Montreux. This town—sometimes
called the Nice of Switzerland—is generally
considered the most beautiful on the Lake of Geneva;
and the Dent du Midi, the lake scenery, and the mountain
ranges round it, are very grand. Before our departure,
we went through the Castle of Chillon, upon the margin
of the lake, which is built in the style of the middle ages,
and is now used as a prison for the whole Canton de Vaud.
Its dungeons—hewn in the foundation rock, and extending
100 yards beneath the Castle, where, in the 14th and
15th centuries, thousands of Jews were decapitated, and
other cruelties committed—are shown to strangers.
After leaving Montreux, we visited Bex, Aigle, and
Yverdun, at each of which places Mr. Müller held meetings;
and, on Nov. 9th, went on to Geneva, where a series
of services had been arranged for him by the Evangelical
Alliance. There he preached at the Salle de la Réformation,
the Casino, the Eglise Rive Droite, the Eglise
Lutherienne, the German Swiss Church, the Lutheran
Church, the English-American Church, and the Oratoire
de l'Eglise Libre, to very large congregations. On the
18th, at the Salle de la Réformation, a meeting was held
expressly for pastors, theological professors of the University,
and theological students, whom he addressed for an
hour, and afterwards replied to questions that were asked.
Whilst at Geneva, we visited the Protestant Cathedral
Church of St. Peter, built in 1024, where Calvin used to
preach; and saw the house in which he resided, and
another in the Rue des Chanoines, where he died. The
Bibliothèque Publique, founded by Bonivard in 1551,
contains 70,000 volumes, Calvin's manuscripts, and some
autographs and portraits of celebrated persons. There
also, fastened to a high stand, was "La Bible Vulgate"
of the 10th century, a ponderous volume, written by the
monks throughout with pen and ink. During our walks
at Geneva, the Mont Blanc range, in French Savoy, about
45 miles distant, formed a conspicuous and beautiful object
in the landscape, the highest point of which is 15,780 feet
above the level of the sea. On Nov. 20th, at the Oratoire
de l'Eglise Libre, Mr. Müller held his last meeting at
Geneva, and spoke in English upon that occasion, with
translation into French, by Professor de la Harpe.
On the morning of the 21st, at half past 10, we left by
rail for Lyons, France; and, after a journey of 130 miles,
reached our destination in the afternoon at half past 4.
Exactly opposite the windows of the hotel to which we
went, on a very high hill, called La Fourvière, the other
side of the river, stood the Church of Notre Dame, with a
gilded statue of the Virgin, 20 feet high, standing on its
cupola, with arms outstretched; for Lyons is considered
by the Papists to be under the protection of Mary, and as
especially—"Consacrée à la sainte vierge."
Soon after our arrival, a German pastor called, and gave
us an interesting account of his labours at Lyons during
the preceding 27 years. This large, beautiful city, the
second in France, is a stronghold of Popery; and, when he
first arrived, no Protestant services could be held there;
but after a terrible struggle to obtain some religious liberty,
through the influence of the British ambassador, permission
to hold Protestant meetings was at last granted by the
Government, provided the preaching should always be in
German, and never in French. For the Protestants to
derive any benefit, however, from this permission, was
extremely difficult, on account of the furious opposition of
the Romish priests, "who (said he) if they had been able
to do so, would gladly have burned me at the stake;"
but now, as their animosity is somewhat less fierce, French
and German Protestant services are regularly held. The
population of Lyons—about 350,000—is divided (this
pastor further stated) into two classes, one half of whom
consists of bigoted Papists, and the other of Infidels and
Rationalists. There is, however, a very small Protestant
community in this city, amongst whom a few real Christians
are to be found.
On Nov. 22nd, Mr. Müller preached at the Chapelle
Evangélique, Rue de la Lanterne, in English, with translation
into French by Monsieur Monod. Many assembled
to hear him; the presence and power of the Holy Spirit
were felt; and it was a happy meeting. On the morning
of Sunday (the 24th), he preached at the German Church—a
small, insignificant building in a neighbouring street;
and in the afternoon held another meeting at the Chapelle
Evangélique, where, considering the character of the population,
the congregation was very large. Before our departure,
we went to the top of La Fourvière to see the
prospect from the summit, which embraces the whole town
and the surrounding neighbourhood for many miles.
"Lyons, which is the chief manufacturing city of France,
is situated at the junction of the rivers Saone and Rhone,
the former of which is crossed by nine bridges, the latter
by eight. It contains upwards of 10,000 establishments
for the manufacture of silk, which employ 120,000 looms,
support 140,000 persons, and produce annually a supply
of goods valued at nearly four hundred millions of
francs."
On Nov. 25th, at the Chapelle Evangélique, my husband
preached for the last time at Lyons. The next morning
we rose at 5; at a quarter before 7, left for Marseilles,
and, after travelling for many miles through the Valley of
the Rhone, reached our destination at half past 3. On the
27th, Mr. Müller preached at the Temple Evangélique,
an "église nationale," where the congregation was large,
and included several pastors and members of the Consitory.
The service did not begin until half past 8. On
the following evening he preached again at the Temple;
addressed the children of Miss Renger's school in French
on the afternoon of the 30th; and, on the evening of that
day, and the afternoon of Dec. 1st, preached again in German
at Le Temple. On the evening of the 1st he gave a farewell
address, in English, at the Temple Evangélique, and
on Monday morning, Dec. 2nd, we left for Nismes by
express at 10.45.
As this town is a "Protestant centre," my husband
preached that evening at the Chapelle Wesléyenne to a
crowded audience; and the following afternoon a Christian
gentleman conducted us through the town, to point out
the Roman antiquities for which Nismes is famous. The
principal building, the Amphitheatre—erected as long
ago as from a.d. 138 to 160—is a very remarkable ruin.
It is in the form of a vast oval or elipse, and contains
tiers of stone seats one above the other, rising around it
to a considerable height. In the central area, conflicts
between gladiators, and combats between condemned
criminals and wild beasts, formerly took place; and here
many persecuted disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ were
torn in pieces by lions and other savage animals that were
let loose upon them. The caverns, where prisoners were
confined, and some dens in which the wild beasts were shut
up, are still in existence. This Amphitheatre is 400 feet
long, 303 wide, and 64 high, and was large enough to seat
25,000 people. When all its antecedents are remembered,
a fearful interest attaches to the place.
During our short stay at Nismes, Mr. Müller held other
meetings, which were conducted at the Chapelle Wesléyenne,
the Eglise Libre, and at the house of a Christian gentleman
residing in the town. Before our departure, we visited
some rocks and stone quarries, about two miles distant,
where, during a persecution of the Protestants in the reign
of Louis XIV., the little Church of Christ at Nismes used
to assemble for religious worship, because its members
were not permitted to hold meetings in the town.
On Dec. 7th we left Nismes for Montpellier, where Mr.
Müller preached three times at the Eglise Reformée Independente,
attended a prayer meeting, where he gave an
address, and held a conversational meeting at the house
of a Christian lady. In this town, just in front of our
hotel, was a piece of ground—now a large public garden—where,
about the year 1720, pastors were hung, simply
because they were Protestants. Other servants of Christ,
after their arms and legs had been broken with a bar of
iron, were left to suffer excruciating pain, until a final blow
on the chest—given as a "coup de grace"—terminated
their agonies. "We have been more persecuted" (said
a gentleman who related these particulars—a descendant
of the Huguenots) "than any other race of human beings
under Heaven." How faint a conception have Christians
of the present day, who live in the comfortable, easy circumstances
to which most of us are accustomed, of the
tribulation endured by disciples of the Lord Jesus, in years
long gone by, and even as recently as the last century!
The Christians of Montpellier were able to relate numberless
instances of the most infamous and wanton cruelty,
practised upon the Huguenots, before, during, and after
the reign of Louis XIV.
On Dec. 12th, we rose at 5, left Montpellier by rail at
7 o'clock, and went through Cette to Narbonne, from which
place—after changing trains—we proceeded on our journey;
and at 2 o'clock reached Perpignan, the chief town of the
Pyrénées Orientales, at no great distance from the Spanish
frontier. The climate of Perpignan is generally mild, and
in summer is very hot; but just then wintry winds were
sweeping over the snow-covered heights of the Pyrenees,
which made the atmosphere unusually cold. This town is
overlooked by a strong Citadel, and contains several houses
built in the Spanish style. Mont Canigou, 9,140 feet
high, is in the distance. The next morning, at 10 o'clock,
we left Perpignan, and our journey was continued. For many
miles long ranges of the Pyrenees were on our right; and
on the left, the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean, were
occasionally so close, that a stone might have been thrown
into them from the railway carriage; and after travelling
through the mountains, by means of numerous tunnels, we—for
the first time—found ourselves in Spain. At Portbou,
on the frontier, the usual Custom House examination took
place, and afterwards, as we advanced into the country, the
costumes of the people and the style of the buildings became
more and more Spanish in appearance. Here, as in the
South of France, there were vines and olive trees innumerable,
and aloes, either singly or in hedges, were growing
wild in the fields or by the roadside. As the train stopped
at nearly every station, our progress was but slow; but at
half past 8 we arrived at Barcelona, where two brethren
were kindly waiting to receive, and to conduct us to the
Fonda Las Cuatro Nationes. There we took possession
of two small front rooms at the top of the house, with a
south aspect and stone floors. The sitting-room contained
an open fireplace, in which we occasionally had small fires,
made of the dried roots of olive trees; but the weather
being generally mild and genial, they were not often
needed. The street below our rooms—one of the leading
thoroughfares of Barcelona—was crowded day and night.
The following morning a party of English friends,
labouring in Spain, called and welcomed us to the country
most affectionately. On Sunday morning, Dec. 15th, we
attended a meeting for the breaking of bread, held at a
schoolroom in Calle San Gabriel, Gracia, where, at the
commencement of the service, a poor blind brother prayed,
some portions of Scripture were read by one of the brethren,
and afterwards Mr. Müller spoke for half an hour, with
translation into Spanish by Mr. Payne. The breaking of
bread followed, a hymn was sung, and the meeting was
closed with prayer. We then shook hands with our
Spanish brethren and sisters, and, amongst them, with the
blind man just referred to, who, pointing upwards with his
finger, said in Spanish, "We shall all speak one language
there." Whilst talking his face was lighted up with smiles,
and he made us understand that he rejoiced greatly at our
visit. He was very poorly clothed, but a friend remarked,
"He is rich in faith, and has been a noble witness for
Christ by reading the Scriptures aloud, in raised type, in
the streets and public walks of Barcelona."
On the evening of that day, Mr. Müller preached, with
Spanish interpretation, at another large schoolroom in the
city. On the following Tuesday afternoon, at the house
of a Wesleyan minister, he held a meeting for English
Christian Workers in Spain, and addressed the party there
assembled, with reference to their labours, for upwards of
an hour. Conversation respecting the Lord's work in that
dark Popish land, was freely entered into afterwards, and
the meeting was of so profitable a character, that, though
it had lasted two hours and a half, no one was willing to
leave, until a promise had been given that another should
be held the following afternoon. The next day, accordingly,
all met again at the same time and place, and continued for
two hours and a half together. On Thursday morning,
Dec. 19th, we accompanied Mr. Payne to visit four of the
Spanish Day Schools, which are entirely supported by the
funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution. They are
in Barcelonetta (or little Barcelona), a poor part of the
city, where, on the first floor of one of the houses, we found
two schools (one of big, and the other of little boys) assembled.
One master, a converted Spaniard, was present;
but the other, in consequence of indisposition, was unable
to attend that day. The boys were all quiet and orderly
in their behaviour; and, after the younger ones from the
other schoolroom had come in, Mr. Müller—with the help
of Mr. Payne as a translator—began speaking to them as
follows:—"My dear children, I love you all very much,
and pray for you every day. I long from my inmost soul
to meet every one of you in Heaven; but, in order that
you may go to that happy place, as poor, lost, guilty
sinners, you must put your trust in the blessed Lord Jesus
Christ, who was punished in our room and stead; for His
blood alone can cleanse us from our sins." After preaching
the gospel further to them, he related a few particulars about
the Orphan boys on Ashley Down, and mentioned that some
of them, about the same age as those he was addressing,
were true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, at an
early age, had been led to trust in Him wholly as their
Saviour. It was most interesting to look upon these poor
Spanish children—gathered out from the mass of popery
and infidelity around—and to know that they were brought
habitually under Christian influence and teaching. There
were about 150 of them, and their parents were all either
Papists or Infidels. Two schools for girls, under the same
roof, downstairs, were close at hand. The room for the
elder girls was large, but it was below the level of the
street, and a short flight of five steps led down to it. When
the children were seated, Mr. Müller spoke to them from
a low platform; afterwards they sang a hymn, and then a
pretty little girl, about six years old, with black hair and
very bright dark eyes, was mounted on a form, when she
repeated the 128th Psalm in Spanish with great ease, and
apparently without missing a word. Another followed
with the 24th Psalm, and then an older girl, of about 13,
repeated a long Spanish poem, referring to the love of
Christ, His death, etc., in a firm, clear voice, without the
slightest hesitation or inaccuracy. She could have gone
on with a great deal more; and the other children, too,
were ready with portions of Scripture and with hymns; but
our time did not allow us to hear any further recitation.
Close to the large room was a smaller one, devoted to a
school for Infant Girls; an interesting company of little
children, who understood the Catalan dialect only. Mr.
Payne's Spanish had therefore to be translated into Catalan
by the governess, a second interpretation, and in this way
they were told that the kind gentleman from England,
who was speaking, loved them, cared for them, and was
glad to see their bright, merry, little faces. We gave them
a text also, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth
us from all sin," to carry home to their parents. Thus
ended our visit to these schools, a work so blessed and
important, that we hope, by prayer, long to hold up the
hands of those who are engaged in it. In the afternoon,
at the house of the Wesleyan minister, Mr. Müller held
a third meeting for Christian Workers, and on the evening
of that day preached at the Wesleyan Church. The next
morning, at 10 o'clock, we visited two more of the schools,
supported by the funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution,
and went first to the boys who were on the ground
floor. They first of all sang a hymn; and, after Mr.
Müller had addressed them, answered several questions
asked by the master, and repeated portions of Scripture
with great ease and readiness. The girls' school upstairs
was next visited, where we inspected the children's writing,
and their needlework. They excel in penmanship; and
articles of needlework, beautifully made by them, were on
sale for their own benefit. This room contained also a
small but interesting school of Infant Girls. In the evening
my husband preached again at the Wesleyan Chapel,
and, on Dec. 21st, we inspected the San Gabriel schools, where
two sheets of texts in ornamental writing, beautifully executed,
one from the boys and the other from the girls, were
presented to us. We visited a small school of Infant Girls
also conducted at the same place. This visit closed our
inspection of the ten Barcelona day-schools, supported
entirely by the funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution,
which were all in a most satisfactory condition.
In the afternoon we walked up Mont Juich, which overlooks
the Mediterranean and the whole of Barcelona and
the neighbourhood. This city is situated in a beautiful
and highly-cultivated country, and is the capital of Catalonia.
It is a place of great trade, carrying on various
manufactures, and has some fine squares and promenades;
but the streets, generally speaking, are narrow, with very
high houses that exclude the air and sunshine.
On Sunday morning, Dec. 22nd, Mr. Müller gave an
address at a meeting for the breaking of bread, held in the
upper schoolroom, in Calle Fernandina; and in the evening
preached in German at a Chapel belonging to Mr. A.
Luis Empaytaz, who translated for him. On the evening
of the 23rd, he preached at the English Episcopal Church,
but the congregation was very small; for in the whole of
Barcelona there were not more than about 120 English persons
altogether. On the afternoon of the 24th he attended a
meeting for prayer and exhortation at the house of the
Wesleyan minister, and gave an address again to Christian
Workers; preached in the evening at the Fernandina
schoolroom, and, on the morning of Christmas Day, held a
meeting at the Chapel belonging to Mr. Empaytaz, where
he preached in German, without translation. On the afternoon
of that day, at a tea-meeting at the San Gabriel
schoolroom, Gracia, he gave an address; and afterwards a
letter in Spanish, from many of the pupils then present (who
formerly attended the schools of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution), was read, thanking him for his visit to Barcelona,
and expressing their grateful acknowledgments for
the education they had received. Some of these young
men were studying at the University of Barcelona,
and others were engaged elsewhere in various useful occupations.
A translation of this letter into German was
then handed in, and soon after 7 the meeting was brought
to a close.
On Dec. 28th we rose at 5, and at half past 6 were
accompanied to the station by several Christian friends, who
kindly came to take leave of us before our departure for
Saragossa. At 7 o'clock we left Barcelona, and travelled
with two Spaniards, to each of whom we gave a Spanish
Gospel and some tracts, which were thankfully accepted,
and read with great attention. At 2 o'clock the passengers
alighted to dine, at Lerida; but we walked up and down
the platform and gave away some tracts, when in a moment
a crowd of third-class passengers surrounded us, who all
pressed forward, eagerly desiring to obtain tracts or gospels
for themselves. The few we had were distributed immediately;
but so anxious were the applicants to obtain one
each, that they followed us to the railway carriage and
lingered about the door. In a few minutes other tracts
were found and handed out, but, fearing to attract attention
and that our actions might be watched by Romish
priests, we held up our empty hands to show that we had
nothing more to give. The poor people were loth, however,
to depart, and waited until the last moment, thrusting
their hands in at the window, with the hope of receiving
either a gospel or a tract. At half past 2 we left
Lerida, and after a journey of 228 miles, at a quarter to
9 p.m., reached Saragossa, where, at the Fonda de las
Cuatro Nationes, we found suitable accommodation. The
following morning (Sunday, Nov. 29th) a meeting was
held at Mr. Gulick's Church, when Mr. Müller preached,
with translation by the pastor, and in the afternoon addressed
the Sunday School children at the same place.
At the beginning of the service they chanted the 23rd
Psalm, and, at the close, sang a hymn, of which the following
words are a translation of the first verse:—
"Jesus Christ came down, From Heaven to Bethlehem; There, our Peace was born, Our Felicity, Light, and Good. Oh, blessed be God! Thanks be unto Thee, Lord, For Jesus the Saviour."
This hymn was set to a lively tune, and sung in marked,
quick time, with great spirit and animation. In the evening
Mr. Müller preached again at the same Church to a
large, attentive audience.
On Dec. 30th we walked out with Mr. Gulick, who conducted
us to one of the two Cathedrals in Saragossa—the
only city in Spain which has two Cathedral Churches.
The architecture is Moorish, and some sculpture on the
walls represents the martyrdom of a few of the early
Christians, and that of St. Lawrence in particular, who,
in the 4th century, was roasted to death on a gridiron over
a slow fire, by the command of one of the Pagan Roman
emperors. Though considered a Catholic by the Papists,
it is said that he was a true disciple of Christ. Some poor
devotees were worshipping at the shrines, to a few of whom
we quietly gave Spanish gospel tracts; and a tract was
handed also to a gowned individual, a verger or sacristan,
with a wand of office, as he slowly wandered up and down the
aisles, who looked at us gloomily, but accepted it nevertheless.
Our next visit was to the Cathedral of Nuestra Senora
del Pilar, which contains an image of the Virgin and
Child on a jasper pedestal, said to have come down direct
from Heaven in the 1st century, and to have been brought
by the Apostle James to Saragossa! To this image the
most extravagant miracles are attributed. Many persons
were kissing the pillar and crossing themselves, whilst others,
dispersed about the Cathedral, were kneeling on the stone
pavement before various images of saints. Whole regiments
of soldiers, too, come in to kneel, bow, cross themselves,
and perform their devotions before the different
shrines. Oh! how responsible are we, who possess the
pure gospel of the grace of God, to make it known to poor
idolators like these. In order to form a correct idea of the
degrading superstitions, the debasing idolatry of Popery,
there is nothing like witnessing these things in a country
such as Spain, where the Roman Catholic religion appears
to be of a grosser type than it is in Protestant countries.
Our last remaining tract was slipped into the hand of a
worshipper, kneeling upon a stone step before an altar.
Besides these two Cathedrals, Saragossa contains many
curious old Moorish houses and ancient monuments, including
the Aljaferia, now a fort, but formerly a Moorish
palace. As we walked through the streets, almost every
one turned round to have a good look at us as strangers;
and occasionally some children followed close behind, desiring
to have a thorough gaze at the walking curiosities from
a foreign country.
In the evening, Mr. Müller preached again at Mr.
Gulick's Church, and on the following morning (Dec. 31st)
we rose at half-past 4, in order to start early for Madrid.
The journey was extremely tedious, and, after stopping at
every one of the 35 stations, in the evening, at 10 o'clock,
we reached our destination, where Mr. Fenn (an English
missionary) was kindly waiting to receive and to conduct
us to the Fonda Peninsular, near the Puerta del Sol, about
two miles from the station. The next morning (Jan. 1st,
1879), at 10 o'clock, a procession passed along the street
consisting of boys carrying lighted tapers; soldiers, priests,
and men bore a large figure of the Virgin, robed in
crimson satin, with a crown upon her head; whilst a small
image of the Saviour was carried immediately behind it.
The men in this procession were bareheaded, and all the
passers-by took off their hats.
In the evening, at a coffee meeting at Chamberi, Mr.
Müller addressed a gathering of Spanish Christians, with
translation by Mr. Fenn. On the afternoon of Jan. 2nd,
we attended a meeting of Christian Workers, to whom my
husband gave a short address, and in the evening he
preached at Chamberi. At a gospel service held the
following Sunday morning at Chamberi, he preached
again; spoke in German in the afternoon at Pastor
Fliedner's Church, and in the evening preached at Chamberi
a second time, with translation into Spanish. The
next day a meeting of school teachers was held at Mr.
Fenn's house, where Mr. Müller gave them a short address,
and in the evening he attended the first of a series of prayer
meetings at Mr. Fliedner's Church.
On Jan. 7th, we inspected the five schools—three at
Chamberi, and two in another part of Madrid—which are
supported by the funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution,
and are under the care and superintendence of
Mr. and Mrs. Fenn, where it was gratifying to find the
dear children (contrary to custom, as their Christmas
holidays were scarcely over) assembled in considerable
numbers to see the strangers from England, whose presence
seemed to afford them great delight. After visiting
the three Chamberi schools, which are admirably conducted,
all the children formed one assembly in the Chapel, where
Mr. Müller addressed them for about twenty minutes, with
translation by Mr. Fenn. He spoke also to the children
of the two other schools. Sheets of paper, containing
texts and short addresses, beautifully written, were presented
to us by the pupils at Chamberi. On our way back
to the hotel, we passed an open piece of ground, where,
several years ago, large quantities of human bones were
disinterred, the remains of victims of the Inquisition, about
130 Protestants having been burned alive there in former
times, as an "auto da fé," by their enemies, the Papists.
Here the hand of a young girl was found, with a large
nail driven through it; tresses of long hair were discovered,
and other revolting evidences were brought to light of the
cruelties that had been perpetrated. We visited the Plaza
Mayor also, a large Square in Old Madrid, where, centuries
ago, Jews, Protestants, and criminals, all dressed in
hideous garments, and high, pointed caps, were brought
before their judges; by whom, after sentence of death had
been pronounced, they were sent to the spot above
mentioned, near Chamberi, and there burned alive.
On the evening of Jan. 9th, at a united prayer meeting
of the Evangelical Alliance, Mr. Müller gave an address
on prayer, and spoke at Chamberi also, at a prayer meeting
the next evening. On the 11th, we visited Mr. and
Mrs. Fenn's interesting Orphan Institution; on the morning
of Sunday, the 12th, my husband preached at Chamberi,
and in the evening addressed a large English congregation
at a Hall connected with the residence of the
Presbyterian minister. This Hall, and the premises
connected with it, at one time formed a portion of the
Spanish Inquisition.
On the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 13th, at a quarter
before 5, we left Madrid for Bayonne, and at 7 reached
the Escurial—both palace and monastery in one; which,
on account of the lateness of the hour, could be seen very
indistinctly. We passed Avila also, a town enclosed by
ancient granite walls 800 years old, which has 86 towers
and gates, and is considered the finest specimen of a
walled town in Europe. Valladolid was reached at midnight;
and soon after 6, on the 14th, as the day began to
dawn, we arrived at Vitoria, where the mountainous,
picturesque character of the country formed an entire
contrast to the plain on which Madrid is situated. For
many miles we travelled through the Passes at the western
extremity of the Pyrenees, and went through tunnel after
tunnel, until, at 10.15, the train drew up at San Sebastian,
a town on the Bay of Biscay, besieged by the British
army under Wellington in 1813; where numbers of
English soldiers, who fell during the war on the Peninsula,
lie interred. The last stations in Spain were Irun
and Hendaya; and, after travelling close to the Bay of
Biscay, where great rolling waves were dashing in upon
the shore, at half past 1 p.m. we reached Bayonne.
On the afternoon of Jan. 15th, at a little meeting held
at the house of Monsieur Nogaret, pastor of the Reformed
Church, Mr. Müller spoke in French for three quarters of
an hour; and afterwards we walked to the fortifications,
from which the district between Bayonne and the frontier
could be seen—a locality memorable as the scene of the
struggle between Wellington and Soult in the year 1813.
On the 17th we went to Biarritz, a beautiful watering
place on the Bay of Biscay, six miles from Bayonne, where
the rocky coast lies open to the full sweep of rollers
from the Bay. There, at 2 o'clock, in a large salon of
the Hôtel de France, Mr. Müller held a meeting for the
English, of whom he addressed a considerable number, for
an hour. At half past 3 we returned to Bayonne, and
at 5.20 left by rail for Pau in the Pyrenees. There, on
the following Sunday (Jan. 19th), my husband preached
morning and afternoon in English at the Presbyterian
Church, to large congregations, with much help from the
Lord. On the evening of the 20th, he conducted a
French service at Le Temple, and preached the following
morning in German at the Presbyterian Church. He
held English meetings also at this Church every morning
(except Saturday) throughout the week.
Pau is famous for its mild, genial climate, its beautiful
scenery, and for being much resorted to by visitors—especially
the English—of whom, during our stay, there were about
2,000 in the place. The Chateau of Henry 4th is joined
by three bridges to the town. On the morning of Sunday,
Jan. 26th, Mr. Müller preached a farewell sermon at the
Presbyterian Church and held a French meeting in the
evening for the working classes, at a large Hall.
On the 27th, we left Pau for Bordeaux, about 150 miles
distant, where, at the Chapelle Evangélique, he held two
French meetings. An address was also given by him at
a Hall belonging to the "Union Chrétienne de jeunes
gens," and on the 29th, we went to the Asylums of
La Force, of which the late Mr. John Bost was the
Founder and Director. After a journey of 70 miles we
reached our destination, and in the afternoon accompanied
Mr. Bost in a small omnibus belonging to the Institution,
to visit his Asylums, which are situated at some little
distance from each other. They are eight in number.
"La Famille Evangélique is for Orphan girls of all ages.
Bethesda is an asylum for girls infirm or incurable, blind,
or threatened with blindness, idiot, imbecile, or of feeble
intellect. Ebenezer is an asylum for epileptic girls. Siloam
is for boys infirm or incurable, blind or threatened with blindness.
Bethel is an asylum for epileptic boys. Le Repos is for
invalid governesses, infirm school mistresses, widows or
spinsters who are ill or without resources. La Retraite is
for servants, widows or spinsters, who are ill, infirm, or without
means of support, and afflicted with incurable diseases;
and La Miséricorde is for idiot girls who have lost all intelligence;
also for epileptics, who are idiot and infirm." After
we had inspected these deeply interesting, and most Christ-like
Institutions, a very large gathering of the inmates
who were well enough to attend, assembled at "La
Famille," where Mr. Müller addressed them for three
quarters of an hour; for though the community is so
afflicted as a whole, a meeting was hailed by them with
delight, many of the patients being intelligent, and some
of the epileptics even, persons of sound mind, when not
suffering from their dreadful fits. The next day, at half
past 2, another service was held at "Le Temple" (the
Church of the Institution) where upwards of 400 individuals
assembled; and as Mr. Bost would not hear of a
translation—because, said he, "Monsieur Müller, est
admirable"—my husband addressed this large company
for an hour and a quarter in French. Afterwards we
drank tea at "La Famille," and returned by railway in
the evening to Bordeaux. [Since our visit to these
Asylums, their beloved Founder and Director, Mr.
Bost, has departed to be with Christ. "Blessed are the
dead which die in the Lord; they rest from their labours
and their works do follow them."] On the afternoon of
Jan. 31st, at the Chapelle Evangélique, Mr. Müller held
his fourth and last meeting in the city, and at 6.50 we left
by the night express for Cannes. Toulouse was reached
in the middle of the night; the next morning we stopped
at Marseilles, and proceeded along the coast of the Mediterranean,
until (after a journey of 480 miles) at a quarter
to 1 p.m. we arrived at Cannes.
There, on Sunday, Feb. 2nd, Mr. Müller preached in the
morning at the German, and in the afternoon at the Presbyterian,
Church; gave an address on the 4th, at the Eglise
Evangélique, held another meeting at the German Church
the following afternoon, and continued his labours every
day until the 12th, when he spoke in French at the Eglise
de la Rédemption, in the evening. On the 13th, he preached
at the Presbyterian Church, and on the 14th gave a farewell
address in English at the Eglise de la Rédemption.
During our stay at Cannes, we visited "Les Orangers"—large
plantations of orange and lemon trees, laden with ripe
fruit—and greatly enjoyed the climate of that delightful place.
On Feb. 15th we left Cannes, and, just before our
departure, received a little parcel, containing an ivory
paper-cutter, with a slip of paper on which these words
were written—"For dear Mr. Müller from one of his
former Orphans, and wishing both Mr. and Mrs. Müller,
God speed." At half-past 2 we arrived at Nice, where,
on the following afternoon (Sunday) my husband preached
in English at the Presbyterian Church, held a meeting in
the evening at the Vaudois Church, and continued to conduct
services in English, French, or German during the
remainder of our stay, including a meeting at the Presbyterian
Church on the 26th, when he preached in English,
to a large congregation on the second coming of Christ.
Whilst we were at Nice, the whole town was in a state
of excitement from the Carnival, for which that place is
noted. During our walks, to and from the meetings, we
met troops of individuals in masks, dressed in extraordinary
costumes, who danced along the streets, and made merry
with anybody and everybody who happened to come across
them; but by promptly branching off into back streets, we
(happily) escaped their notice altogether. The popular idea
seems to be that, just before the austerities of Lent commence,
a season of extravagance, folly, and amusement is
particularly appropriate. That children and young people
should be tempted to indulge in such diversions, is not
perhaps surprising; but how persons of mature age can
take delight in making such fools of themselves, is really
most astonishing. We heard a Christian gentleman from
London lamenting greatly that the English too—Protestants—who
might be expected to set a good example to
their Catholic neighbours, were amongst the foremost in
these amusements.
On Feb. 21st, we visited Monaco, one of the most
beautiful spots along the whole coast of the Mediterranean.
It is notorious, however, for its gambling saloons, which
lead many who frequent them both to temporal and eternal
ruin. Suicide was said to be a common thing also amongst
the votaries of those gaming tables.
On March 1st we left for Mentone, 24 miles from
Nice, where Mr. Müller preached at the Hall of the Free
Church of Scotland, at the Eglise Française, and at the
German Church, to large congregations; and continued
to hold meetings daily as long as we remained. As on
Sunday mornings the little Hall of the Free Church was
crowded, its doors and windows were left open; several
persons therefore sat outside in the balcony, on chairs, and
amongst the number was Mr. Spurgeon, who attended
three meetings. Whilst at Mentone, we had the pleasure
of seeing and driving out with him occasionally. One
afternoon, the Turin road leading to Castiglione, was selected
for our route, where, whilst slowly winding up hill in an
open carriage, surrounded by magnificent scenery, Mr.
Spurgeon said:—"When in the midst of landscapes such
as these, from the crown of my head to the sole of my foot, I
feel as though I could burst out into one song of praise."
On the morning of March 11th, at the Free Church
Hall, my husband gave a farewell address. At 3.50 that
afternoon we left Mentone for Ventimiglia on the Italian
frontier, and proceeded afterwards to Bella Vista, Bordighera,
the residence of Mrs. Boyce, two miles distant
from the station. In the evening Mr. Müller preached
at a small church in Bordighera (built by Mrs. Boyce)
with translation into Italian by Signor Malan, a young
Italian pastor. The congregation consisted of the children
belonging to Mrs. Boyce's schools, their teachers,
and some country people from the neighbourhood, most of
whom were Roman Catholics. This little church at Bordighera
was then the only centre of real Christian influence
throughout a very extensive district, as there were no
other Italian Protestant services between Bordighera and
Genoa. On the following morning, we visited Mrs.
Boyce's schools, and at half past two, Mr. Müller held a
drawing-room meeting for English residents and visitors,
at Viletta Aurelia, where, for upwards of an hour he
addressed a large company of gentlemen and ladies. On
March 13th we accompanied Mrs. Boyce in a carriage to
San Rémo, on the coast of the Mediterranean, nine miles
distant; and there, in the large drawing-rooms of Villa
Theresa, at 2 o'clock; he held a meeting for the English
also, which was crowded with gentlemen and ladies.
He spoke with great power; the hearers were all attention,
and one lady said afterwards—"I was never so
much interested in my whole life." This meeting was an
important one, as many present were always under ritualistic
teaching, and never heard the pure gospel preached.
In the evening, at half-past 6, we left San Rémo by
express—reached Genoa at 11, and the next day at 1.10
p.m. set off for Pisa, when our route through Spezzia
and near Carrara extended along the coast of the Mediterranean,
through scenery of the most beautiful description.
At 7 o'clock we arrived at Pisa, and the next
morning, before our departure for Florence, saw the
exterior of its celebrated leaning tower, 180 feet high,
and 13 feet out of the perpendicular, built in the year
1174, by Bonanno of Pisa.
As our object was to reach Florence, we did not remain
either at Genoa or at Pisa, but simply passed through those
cities on the way. At noon, therefore, on March 15th,
our journey was continued; and at 3 in the afternoon
we arrived at Florence, where, at the station, we were received
by some Christian friends, with—"A warm welcome in
the Master's name." The next day (Sunday) we attended
a meeting for the breaking of bread at a Hall in Via San
Spirito, which, with an ante-room adjoining it, was
crowded. There, Mr. Müller spoke for nearly an hour,
with Italian translation by Signor Rossetti; and in the
evening, preached at the Vaudois Church. During our
stay at Florence he held a number of other meetings also,
including services at two Italian Churches—one in Via
Palazuolo, and the other in Via dei Benci—a meeting at
the Chapel of Dr. Comandi's Asilo in Via Aretina, an
English service at the Presbyterian Church, a meeting at
the French Swiss Church, with Italian translation, a service
at the Methodist Episcopal Church in English with
Italian translation, and a drawing-room meeting at Dr.
Young's, where he addressed the students of the Theological
Seminary, their professors, several pastors, and a
number of gentlemen and ladies. He held a second
drawing-room meeting also at Dr. Young's, and had a
Bible reading at the house of the Presbyterian minister.
On most of these occasions, there were large, attentive
audiences. A few days after the service at the Italian
Church in Via dei Benci, a gentleman said—"God be
praised for the glorious meeting you had. I was there,
and enjoyed very much your powerful testimony." During
our stay at Florence, we looked with interest at the exterior
of the prison where Francesco and Rosa Madai were
confined, and had a good view of the city and neighbourhood
from an elevated spot called the Piazza Michel Angelo.
On the morning of Wednesday, the 6th of March, we
left Florence for Rome, and arrived there in the afternoon
at a quarter before 5. The next morning at a prayer meeting
in Via San Nicola da Tolentino, Mr. Müller gave his first
address in Rome. On the 28th, he held a meeting for Christian
Workers in Via delle Coppelle; spoke at the Brethren's
Hall at a meeting for the breaking of bread on Sunday
morning, the 30th, and preached in the evening at Mr.
Wall's Chapel. On the 31st he conducted a service at the
Oratorio Evangelico, and subsequently preached at various
places of worship including the Tempio Evangelico, the
Presbyterian Church, the Waldensian Church, the Sala
Cristiana, the American Baptist Chapel, the Italian Free
Church, a Hall in Via della Scrofa connected with the
Tempio Evangelico (where a service for Italian soldiers was
held), the Italian Free Church, and the Wesleyan Chapel.
During our stay in Rome, we visited the Catacombs.
There are about 60 in all, which extend in various directions,
outside the walls of the city. "They consist of subterranean
excavations, which served as places of refuge and worship
to the earliest followers of the Christian faith, during the
persecutions they had to suffer under the predecessors of
Constantine, and where, after death, many thousands were
interred, from the earliest period of Christianity to the
sixth century of the present era."
We visited St. Peter's also, the Vatican, drove along
the Via Appia, by which the Apostle Paul entered Rome,
and saw the Arch of Titus. The Coliseum (which originally
accommodated 87,000 spectators) is likewise a remarkable
ruin. "The caverns in which the wild beasts were
confined are still in existence, and the gladiatorial spectacles,
of which for nearly 400 years it was the scene, are
matters of history. In the reign of Trajan, Ignatius was
brought there from Antioch, on purpose to be torn in
pieces by wild beasts; and great numbers of martyrs
perished on its arena." The Basilica of the Lateran—which
we visited also—was long regarded as the first of
Christian Churches, and styled by an inscription at the
entrance, "The Mother and Head of all the Churches in
the world!" One of the sights of Rome, too, is the
Scala Santa, where eleven penitents were ascending a long
flight of 28 marble steps upon their knees. This Scala Santa
is the celebrated staircase up which Luther, before his
conversion, was once working his weary way, when these
words, "The just shall live by faith," seemed to reach him
like a voice from heaven.
Before our departure from Rome, we visited the Basilica
of San Paolo likewise, a vast marble Cathedral, erected
on the spot where—according to tradition—the Apostles
Peter and Paul embraced each other before they were led
away to execution—the former to be crucified with his
head downwards, the latter to be beheaded.
The Church and Monastery of the three Fountains, the
Baths of Caracalla, the Columbaria—remarkable ancient
burying places for the remains of the dead, after they had
been burned to ashes—the Pantheon, the Column of
Trajan, the Arch of Septimus Severus, some curious old
aqueducts, the ruins of the palaces of the Cæsars, and
other famous antiquities, we also saw; but the sights of
Rome are so numerous and celebrated, that no minute
description of them can be attempted, especially as our
visits to those just mentioned were most brief and hasty,
compared with the time usually devoted to them by
strangers. The ruins of Rome—once proudly called the
"Eternal City"—plainly show "that the fashion of this
world passeth away, and the lust thereof." "He (and
he only) who doeth the will of God, abideth for ever."
What a blessed thing it is to have "no abiding City" here,
but to look for "the City which hath foundations, whose
builder and maker is God."
On April 9th, we went to Naples, where, the following
morning, at the Chiese Metodista, Mr. Müller addressed
about 100 Christian Workers, including pastors, evangelists,
colporteurs, Sunday School teachers, leaders of
Mothers' Meetings, etc.; and in the evening (by particular
request) he held a service in the Bethel Mission ship,
for the English seamen of Naples, amongst whom were a
few sailors from Bristol, who had expressed a desire that
he should address them. On the following evening he
preached at the Presbyterian Church, in English, to a
large congregation; and, during our stay at Naples, held a
number of other meetings, including services at the Chiese
Evangelica, the Italian Free Church, the Waldensian
Church—where he preached in French, with Italian translation—the
Chiese Cristiana Apostolica, the Wesleyan
Methodist Chapel, the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
the German Church. He addressed a large class of young
ladies also at a school, both in English and in German.
During our stay at Naples, we visited the ruins of
Pompeii, 14 miles distant, "a city which was partially
overthrown by an earthquake, on Feb. 5th, a.d. 63, and
destroyed by an eruption of Vesuvius, Aug. 24th, a.d. 79.
Pompeii was overwhelmed by showers of pumice stones and
ashes, no current of lava having ever reached it; but
through the excavations that have been made, a large
portion of the city has been disinterred. Many of the
houses still standing, were probably built before, or during,
our Saviour's life on earth." We saw the ruins of Herculaneum
also, a city destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius
in a.d. 79, when it was destroyed by torrents of volcanic
mud.
The Solfatara, a semi-extinct volcano near Naples, is a
remarkable locality; and the spot where the Apostle Paul,
after touching at Rhegium, first landed in Italy, was particularly
pointed out. We likewise saw the road along
which he travelled on his way to Rome, of which the
ancient pavement, composed of massive blocks of lava, in
some places is still perfect.
On April 21st—accompanied by Mr. Gray, the pastor
of the Presbyterian Church, who kindly acted as our guide—after
driving through Naples, Portici, and Resina, we
slowly ascended the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, which is
about 30 miles in circumference at its base; and, whilst
going up the steep incline, marked a gradual decrease of
vegetation, until great lava fields, consisting of immense
black boulders, and enormous quantities of lava, cooled,
and hardened into the most fantastic shapes, were reached.
At 2 o'clock we alighted at the Hermitage, and afterwards
walked towards the eruptive cone, but made no attempt to
reach its top. The distant view, however, was very beautiful,
and the surroundings on every side were grand. A
Museum at the Observatory contains a valuable collection
of minerals from Vesuvius, some volcanic bombs, and a
few curious scientific instruments, amongst which is an
"eisograph" for measuring the duration and violence of
earthquakes, so constructed that the precise time of their
duration can be measured with the greatest accuracy.
Before leaving the Museum, we heard that a gentleman,
whilst in the act of mounting the cone of Vesuvius, had
just died suddenly of apoplexy, brought on by over exertion
during its ascent; and a short time afterwards several
men passed us carrying his corpse down the mountain in a
chair. He appeared to be about 45 years of age, and was
sitting upright, with his head hanging over the left
shoulder. His countenance was deadly pale, and life was
quite extinct. The sight was both solemn and affecting.
On the evening of April 24th, my husband gave a farewell
address in English at the Presbyterian Church, when
at the close of the service, Mr. Gray, on his own behalf
and that of the congregation, publicly expressed his gratitude
for "Mr. Müller's valued ministry" amongst them.
Our visit to Naples was a very happy one, and the meetings
were of a most important character.
The next morning we rose at 4, to leave by an early
train for Rome, but our stay there was a short one only.
That evening Mr. Müller preached at Mr. Wall's Chapel
to a large congregation, and the following evening held a
meeting at the American Episcopal Church. On Sunday
morning, April 27th, he gave an address at the Brethren's
Hall, and preached at the Sala Cristiana in the evening
from Heb. xi. 24, 25, 26—a solemn farewell sermon.
On the 28th we went again to Florence, and when he
had held six meetings in that city (including a service at
Dr. Comandi's Institution, where, on May 2nd, he addressed
the children of the various evangelical schools
in Florence), on the morning of the 5th we left, and, after
crossing the Appenines, reached Bologna in the afternoon.
There he preached in French, with Italian translation,
that evening and the next, at Monsieur Roland's Church
to crowded congregations.
On May 8th we went on to Venice; passed through
Ferrara, Padua, and other places on the way; and, after
travelling by rail through the watery district by which the
city is surrounded, reached our destination in the evening,
where, instead of an omnibus, a gondola was waiting for
passengers, in which we were rowed along several canals,
to the Hotel Danieli. That evening, at 8 o'clock, Mr.
Müller preached at the Vaudois Church, and at the
Methodist Episcopal Church the next evening. He held
two other meetings also, whilst we remained at Venice,
one of which was in English at the American Consul's
house; but his labours in this city were shortened considerably,
in consequence of the inability of Monsieur
Meille, the Italian pastor (who was suffering seriously
from a throat affection), to translate.
Venice, from being full of canals and nearly surrounded
by the sea, is one of the most extraordinary cities in the
world. During our brief sojourn there, two or three little
voyages in gondolas enabled us to form some idea of the
place. "This city is built upon piles, on three large and
114 small islands, formed by 150 narrow canals, and
crossed by 380 short bridges. The islands and city upon
them are in a shallow lagune of the Adriatic. Palaces and
houses, once magnificent, line the banks of the Grand
Canal, which is two miles and a half in length, and the
"Bridge of Sighs" connects the Palace of the Doges
with the prisons that belong to it; but the whole city bears
marks of a grandeur that has passed away, and its fame
and glory are of a bygone character. Venice is divided
into two unequal parts by the Grand Canal, which is
crossed near the middle of its course by the Ponte di
Rialto, a marble bridge of one single, spacious arch. The
city contains upwards of 4,000 gondolas. From the top
of the Campanile (a square tower 316 feet in height) an
extensive prospect is obtained, embracing the Alps, the
Adriatic, the Istrian Mountains, and Monti Euganei, near
Padua."
On May 15th, early in the morning, we left for Breschia,
and, after passing through Padua, Vicenza, and Verona,
reached Peschiera, close to Lago Garda, one of the beautiful
lakes in northern Italy. After our arrival at Breschia,
Mr. Müller preached that evening at the Vaudois Church,
from John i. 29. Amongst his hearers were several
Roman Catholics, and some officers and soldiers belonging
to a regiment in the city. He held another meeting,
also, the following evening at the same church, and after
the service we distributed little Italian books amongst
the people, which were gratefully accepted.
On May 17th we left for Milan, and from there proceeded
by an evening train to Como, where, at the
Vaudois Church, he preached four times, with translation
into Italian. Here the congregation consisted of poor
country people; and great was the interest with which
they listened to a preacher, who told them that he was a
poor man himself. Everything he needs (they were told)
is obtained by prayer and faith, and his wants are made
known to his Heavenly Father only. On May 20th we
spent a few hours at Bellagio, 16 miles distant, one of the
most beautiful places on the Lake of Como; and the next
day returned to Milan, where Mr. Müller preached at the
Wesleyan Church, with Italian interpretation, in the evening.
During our stay, he held meetings also at the Italian
Free Church, the Brethren's Room, the Vaudois Church,
at an Italian Church in Place Charles Beccaria, and at a
Protestant Church in Rue Agnello. On the 28th (by
invitation) he held a drawing-room meeting at the British
Chaplain's house, and the next evening preached in German
at the Vaudois Church, not being able to address the
Germans in their own place of worship, because their
pastor was a neologian. On our way to and from the
meetings, we passed Milan Cathedral (built of white
marble from the Simplon) repeatedly. Next to St. Peter's
at Rome, and Seville Cathedral, it is the largest church in
Europe. These splendid Cathedrals, however, are all
Popish, and the religious services carried on in them are
full of the grossest idolatry and superstition.
On May 31st, we left Milan for Turin; and after Mr.
Müller had conducted three services in that city, on Tuesday,
June 3rd, set off for an excursion through the Waldensian
Valleys, which contain a Protestant population of about
26,000, whereas Turin has only between 800 and 900
Protestant inhabitants. The journey from Turin to Pignerola
was performed by rail; but at the latter place we
took an open carriage, and drove to Villa Sèche, a village
inhabited principally by Protestants. During the drive,
we passed several mountain torrents, saw the distant Alps,
and drove for miles close to the river Chison, which was
rushing over its rocky bed with a loud noise, down a steep
incline into the Valley. The whole of this district is extremely
interesting, because for hundreds of years it has
been inhabited by the Waldenses, who, in the 16th and
17th centuries, on account of their faithfulness to Christ,
were cruelly persecuted by the Papists; and, as their
attachment to the reformed faith brought many sufferings
upon them, they were compelled to flee from their beloved
homes to any hiding place that afforded them a refuge.
The two principal Waldensian Valleys are St. Martin
and Luzerne, which contain 15 parishes; but the houses
in them are scattered, and being at a great distance from
each other, the members of the little Churches are obliged
to walk many miles in order to attend the meetings. These
Waldensian Christians are generally very poor, and many
of them live in houses roofed with rough, flat stones
loosely put together, instead of slates or tiles. In the
windows, too, of a few of their abodes, paper occupied the
place of glass. At Pomaret some of the people were
standing at their doors to gaze at us, because our visit
was expected; and as we drove along "Monsieur le
pasteur Georges Müller" had many respectful bows and
salutations. At five o'clock we reached the house of the
pastor at Villa Sèche, and in the evening accompanied him
to his Church, a very ancient Vaudois place of worship,
situated at a great height upon a mountain, many hundreds
of feet above his residence. A steep, rugged, winding
pathway, covered in places with loose stones, led up this
mountain towards the Church; and as some rivulets
streamed over the ascent, it was difficult to avoid getting
ankle-deep in water. The silence and solitude of the
whole region, too, were striking. At length, warm, tired,
and almost breathless, we reached the Church, a large, old-fashioned
building, which was crowded with a rustic congregation,
who (the meeting having been announced for
5 o'clock, though circumstances did not allow of our
getting there till 7) had been sitting there two hours,
patiently waiting our arrival. The service, which was in
French, was opened with singing and prayer, after which
Mr. Müller addressed the audience for an hour, throwing
himself heart and soul into their circumstances. At the
close of the meeting we distributed little French and
Italian books amongst the people; shook hands with
many of them; and soon after 9 reached the pastor's
cottage down below, a Swiss châlet, with a projecting
roof, and two wooden galleries outside. In this mountain
home the domestic arrangements were of the simplest,
most frugal character possible, many of the comforts and
conveniences of life (often considered indispensable) being
wanting; but we were most kindly entertained, and greatly
enjoyed our little visit.
The next morning we took a drive to Perrier, two miles
further up the Valley, and called upon the village pastor.
Underneath his house were two "souterrains," or caverns
where, in the last century, some Vaudois Christians were
imprisoned, and left to starve, by their bitter enemies the
Papists. By the light of a candle we explored these subterranean
cavities; but as the ground was covered with
water, it was necessary to step carefully on blocks of
wood. Some snow covered mountains were afterwards
pointed out, where, during the last century, 80 Vaudois
women with their infants were obliged to pass the night
whilst escaping from their cruel foes; but, when morning
came, they were discovered in a semi-frozen state, and
most of them perished eventually through the severity of
the cold.
In the afternoon we drove to La Perouse, where a night's
lodging was proposed for us at the Hospital; we decided,
however, upon going to the "Hôtel National," a little
Italian public-house, but found the accommodation most
uncomfortable, and that no one understood a word of
French. At 4 o'clock a meeting was held at the Vaudois
Church, Pomaret, when Mr. Müller preached in French
to a large, attentive audience. On the morning of June 5th
we visited St. Germain, seven miles from La Perouse, at
which place he addressed a large congregation of poor
people in French at 10 o'clock for three quarters of an
hour. At one we set off again in the little open carriage;
and, after a drive of eleven miles, reached La Tour, the
largest Vaudois settlement, and the principal Protestant
station in the Valleys. In the evening, at St. Jean (three
miles from La Tour), Mr. Müller preached at a schoolroom,
belonging to the Church, in French, where a large
congregation, including several gentlemen and ladies, had
assembled. Here, at the close of the service, the pastor
prayed—"Que le discours excellent de notre frère soit
gravé sur nos c[oe]urs"; and another gentleman afterwards
remarked—"Monsieur Müller nous a dit précisément ce
qu'il nous faut; le sermon était admirable."
On the afternoon of June 7th, we visited the "Orphelinât
des Vallées Vaudoises," a small Orphan Establishment
for 50 girls, in a delightful situation, just outside
La Tour. The Directrice conducted us through the
various departments of the Institution, where cleanliness
and order reigned supreme; for all the back, out-of-door
premises, yards, courts, etc., were so beautifully neat and
clean, as well as the schoolrooms and the dormitories, that
we asked whether this was because visitors were expected.
The reply, however, was: "Les départments sont tous les
jours comme vous les voyez maintenant." The garden
too was admirably kept. It contained an abundance of
vegetables and fruit trees; vines were gracefully trained
against a wooden paling surrounding the enclosure, and a
few flowers were cultivated in beds. After visiting the
different departments of the institution, the Directrice
conducted us to a schoolroom, where all the girls were
busily engaged with needlework. They rose as we entered,
Mr. Müller spoke to them for a few minutes; and, when
they had sung a hymn, we took leave of the interesting
party.
On the evening of that day my husband preached at
the Ecole de Saint Marguerite; on Sunday morning,
June 8th, he held a French meeting at "Le Temple,"
and in the afternoon we went to an old Church at Chabas,
built by the Vaudois Christians, after the persecutions,
from which they suffered so long, had in a great measure
terminated. Here, the building was crowded to the
utmost, and Mr. Müller's address in French (which occupied
an hour) was listened to by the audience with the
greatest interest. At the close of the service, Monsieur
Pons (one of the pastors) was deputed "to express the
best thanks of the Christians of that locality to Mr.
George Müller for his timely and most acceptable visit
to the Valleys, and to express their gratitude to him and
to Mrs. Müller for coming amongst them."
Having finished our little tour of 125 miles in the
Waldensian Valleys, on June 9th we returned viâ Pignerola
to Turin. There, on the evening of that day my
husband held a meeting at the Italian Baptist Church,
and on the following evening at half past 8 preached a
farewell sermon at the Tempio Valdese Evangelico.
On Thursday, June 12th, at 9 a.m., we left Turin;
crossed the Alps, viâ the Mont Cenis Tunnel, and after a
long, tedious journey reached Dijon at midnight. The
next day our journey was continued; and at half past 4
we arrived in Paris. There, on Sunday, June 15th, Mr.
Müller preached twice in French—at the Chapelle Malesherbe,
Rue Roquépine in the afternoon, and at the Eglise
des Billettes in the evening. On the 17th we went on to
Calais and Dover; proceeded to London on the 18th, and
in the evening at half past 6 reached Ashley Down,
Bristol, where, as usual, a warm welcome from the
Orphans and numerous kind friends awaited us. This
long Continental tour was abundantly marked by the
goodness of the Lord throughout the whole of its duration,
and is always remembered by us both with feelings
of the deepest gratitude. On June 24th we went to London
for the Mildmay Conference, where Mr. Müller spoke
on four different occasions. At Cheltenham (where we
stayed from June 30th to July 2nd) he preached twice,
and subsequently held two meetings at the Guildhall,
Bath. He preached once also at Clevedon.
SIXTH TOUR. — UNITED STATES AND CANADA From August 27th, 1879, to June 17th, 1880.
After remaining ten weeks in Bristol, where Mr.
Müller attended daily to business connected with
the Orphan Houses and the other branches of the Scriptural
Knowledge Institution, and was occupied with his
usual ministry of the Word at the three Chapels with
which he is connected; having seen it to be the Lord's
will that he should again visit the United States, on
Wednesday, August 27th, 1879, we went to Liverpool,
and, on the following afternoon, sailed in the "Germanic"
for New York. During the first few days of our voyage,
we had very rough weather; but, when the wind abated,
the sea became calm, and our passage was a favourable
one upon the whole.
On Friday evening, Sept. 5th, at the request of the
passengers, my husband gave an address in the saloon,
and on the 6th, at 4.20 p.m., we landed at New York.
There we stayed at the Rossmore Hotel until Sept. 20th,
but Mr. Müller did not commence his work before the
evening of Sunday, the 14th, when he preached at the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South Second Street,
Brooklyn, about six miles distant. Here, the pastor of
the Church (who longed so earnestly for the conversion of
sinners, that he described his desire for their salvation as
"a consuming fire" within him) introduced the preacher
to his congregation by making the following original remarks:—"My
dear Friends, I rejoice to tell you that we
are about to hear the gospel from the heart and lips of
our venerable friend, who, though now aged 74, has
preached the gospel upwards of 1,400 times during the
last four years, in the various cities and countries he has
visited. Hear this, you young men, and remember that
he is no smoker, nor lover of alcoholic drink; but see how
God can strengthen for His blessed service, those who
trust in Him, and seek to live to His honour and glory.
I have now great pleasure in introducing to you Mr.
George Müller, of Bristol, England." After this opening
speech, all eyes (as may be supposed) were fixed upon the
preacher, who took Isaiah iii. 10, 11, for his text, and
was enabled to speak with great faithfulness and power.
The following evening we went to Newark, nine miles
distant, when he preached at one of the churches to a
German congregation, held a German meeting at New
York on the 16th, preached at Newark in English the
next evening, and on the 18th and 19th conducted services
in German at New York.
On Sept. 20th, we left for Morristown, New Jersey,
where he held several important meetings, and at Drew
Theological Seminary addressed the students—91 in
number—for an hour and ten minutes. About nine months
afterwards, one of the hearers (a gentleman who has since
become the pastor of a church) told us, the blessing he had
received, through this address, was so great, that he had
experienced something like a second conversion by means
of it. He added, that about one half of the other students
also were similarly blessed upon the same occasion.
On Sept. 26th we returned to New York, and proceeded
thence, viâ Po'keepsy and Albany, to Troy, 157 miles
distant, where, at the "Climbers' Rest," (a house standing
on a steep hill in a beautiful situation, the residence
of a gentleman who had kindly invited us to be his guests)
we remained during our stay. At Troy Mr. Müller
preached several times to crowded congregations, and on
the 29th attended a meeting of about 80 pastors from the
city and neighbourhood, whom he addressed for an hour
and a quarter. He visited Troy Orphan Asylum also,
spoke to the children, and held one meeting at Lansingburg.
On Oct. 4th we went to Albany, and proceeded
afterwards to Saratoga Springs (a beautiful and salubrious
spot, much frequented by the Americans) at both of which
places my husband preached repeatedly, and gave addresses
at pastors' meetings likewise. His last service at Saratoga
Springs was held at the First Baptist Church, on the evening
of Oct. 14th, when he preached from 1st Thess. v. 16, to a
large congregation. The meeting was a very precious one.
On the 15th we left Saratoga Springs, early in the
morning, and travelling viâ Schenectady, Utica, Rome,
and Syracuse, arrived at Dr. Foster's Sanatorium, Clifton
Springs, 175 miles distant, in the evening. As this
establishment is a Christian centre, much resorted to by
the Lord's people from various parts of the United States,
we remained there until the 23rd; and, during our stay,
Mr. Müller conducted family worship every morning in
the Chapel belonging to the Institution. He preached in
the evening also, to congregations consisting of invalids,
visitors, and persons from the neighbourhood. On Sunday
evening, Oct. 19th, his subject was the second Advent,
on which he spoke for an hour and a quarter with great
liberty, earnestness, and joy, breaking out during his discourse
into fervent prayer that "Christ would graciously
revive the Church, and arouse His slumbering Bride, to
look, and watch, and wait for her absent Lord's return."
The solemnity with which he spoke was particularly noticed,
and the subject was one in which many took a lively interest.
From Clifton Springs we went on to Rochester, where
he preached at St. Peter's, the Plymouth, the First
Presbyterian, and the Baptist Churches; and on Sunday
evening, Oct. 26th, at the large Brick Church, addressed
an overflowing audience, when more than 1,000 people
were unable to obtain admittance.
On Oct. 28th we went, viâ Niagara Falls, to Hamilton,
Canada, on the shores of Lake Ontario, and afterwards to
Brantford, at each of which places Mr. Müller held several
meetings. At Hamilton also, at the Music Hall, he addressed
the inmates of a Blind Asylum (71 in number), and
at Brantford, besides visiting an Institute for the children of
North American Indians, to whom he spoke, called upon the
widows at a Widows' Home, and addressed them likewise.
On the 8th we left Brantford for Toronto, where, in
the afternoon at Shaftesbury Hall, he addressed 400
Sunday School teachers, and held a meeting in the evening
for 200 young men belonging to the Young Men's
Christian Association. He preached also on the morning
of Sunday, the 9th, at Sherbourne Street Methodist
Church, addressed a Bible class at Shaftesbury Hall in
the afternoon, and preached for an hour in the evening at
Knox Presbyterian Church, to about 1,500 persons. On
Oct. 10th he gave two addresses (in the afternoon and evening)
at Shaftesbury Hall, and one address every afternoon
in the week besides; preached on the morning of Sunday,
the 16th, at the Central Presbyterian Church, and on that
evening and the next, addressed large audiences at the great
Metropolitan Church, which holds 3,000. On the former of
these occasions the building was crowded to overflowing.
On Nov. 19th we rose at 5, and at 7.12 set off on a
journey of 333 miles, by "through express" for Montreal
(a city which contains a population numbering upwards of
100,000 Papists, and only about 50,000 Protestants),
where we arrived at 9 o'clock that night. There Mr.
Müller preached every evening in the week, and twice on
Sunday until our departure. His ministry (we heard)
was highly valued in that city, and many spoke of blessing
received by means of it.
On Nov. 29th at 4 o'clock, we left for Ottawa, the
capital of the Dominion of Canada, 117 miles from
Montreal, where we arrived at half past 9, and on the
following day (Sunday) my husband preached morning
and evening at the Tabernacle to large congregations.
During our short stay at Ottawa, the cold was intense,
and there were heavy falls of snow, but we took a drive to
the Chaudière Falls, and saw the residence of the
Marquis of Lorne, Governor-General of Canada. From
Barrack Hill, which rises almost perpendicularly to an
elevation of 350 feet, the prospect was extensive, and the
beauty of the scenery in the neighbourhood of Ottawa is
said to be unrivalled. In the neighbourhood of the Falls
the frost work was remarkable, and the icicles (several
feet in length) formed quite a picture.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3rd, we left Ottawa for Brockville,
Ontario, and on the 5th proceeded to Kingston, at each
of which places Mr. Müller held meetings. At Kingston,
on Saturday morning, Dec. 6th, he addressed the students
of Queen's College, and in the evening preached at the
Methodist Episcopal Church. On the morning of Sunday,
the 7th, he held a meeting at the First Congregational
Church, and in the evening addressed an overflowing
audience at a mass meeting in the City Hall, where hundreds
were unable to obtain admission.
On Dec. 8th he preached again at the City Hall; gave
an address at a pastors' meeting on the morning of the
9th, and in the afternoon returned to Toronto, 170 miles
from Kingston, where we arrived at 11.15 that night.
There, having been particularly invited to attend the
Conference meetings at Shaftesbury Hall, on the following
morning (Dec. 10th) we were present at the opening
prayer meeting, when the Hon. Vice-Chancellor Blake was
President. From 10 to 11 Mr. Müller gave an address
on "The inspiration of the Scriptures," and was followed
by the Rev. W. J. Erdman of Jamestown, New York,
who spoke from 11 to 12 on the study of the Bible; a
subject upon which he threw out several valuable hints.
He spoke, for instance, of the importance of reading the
Holy Scriptures with a humble, teachable, receptive mind,
prepared to set aside notions, thoughts, and prejudices of
our own; to believe all that God reveals; and to carry
out the light received. In the afternoon, Mr. Robert
Cameron of Brantford spoke, on the second Advent,
dwelling upon the glory of that period, when the
kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of
our Lord and of His Christ; and remarked that, in apostolic
times, young converts, at the very outset of their
course, were instructed in the precious truth of His personal
return, to which the Scriptures so largely and so
definitely point. He reminded his hearers also of the instruction
given by the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians,
namely:—"That the day of the Lord shall not come,
except there come the apostasy first, and the man of sin
(the personal Antichrist) be revealed, the son of perdition,
whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His
mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His
coming." Mr. Cameron was followed by Mr. Müller, who
spoke from 4 to 5 upon "Christ in all the Scriptures;" and
in the evening there were addresses to Christian Workers
from Messrs. Erdman, Macleod, Parlans, and others.
On the morning of the 11th, the attendance at Shaftesbury
Hall was large, and Vice-Chancellor Blake again
occupied the chair. After half an hour had been spent in
prayer, the Rev. E. Harris, of St. Thomas, addressed the
meeting; the Rev. P. Macleod of Stratford spoke afterwards,
and an address from Mr. Erdman brought the
morning service to a close.
In the afternoon Mr. Müller's subject was "The Second
Coming of Christ," when he gave an outline of the chief
events that will precede and accompany that glorious
event, and dwelt upon many important truths connected
with it. He spoke for an hour and 20 minutes. After
Mr. Erdman had followed with his subject, "No Millennium
until Jesus comes" (for which here was very little
time), "Down life's dark vale we wander, Till Jesus comes"
was sung with great animation, and the meeting terminated.
In the evening, from 8 to 9, Mr. Müller spoke again
upon the second Advent, when he expounded Daniel vii.,
and in the course of his address made practical remarks
connected with the subject, which took up so much time,
that Mr. Erdman (as before) was able to say a few words
only, on the topic allotted to him; but, as this dear
brother in the Lord, possessed a gracious, Christ-like
spirit, he only said—"I rejoice that Brother Müller
should take the lead, for I feel like Timothy standing
by the side of Paul." As Mr. Erdman subsequently gave
us a few interesting particulars about his own conversion
and experience which are instructive, for the benefit of
others, it may be desirable to record them here.
When quite a boy, he was an ardent lover of his Greek
Testament, and used to read it habitually long before he
really believed the truths which the precious book contained;
but, through his constant study of it, became at
length a true disciple of the Lord Jesus. Some time after
his conversion, however, when the pastor of a church, he,
like many of his brethren in the ministry, was so thoroughly
opposed to the doctrine of Christ's pre-millennial
advent, that he debated publicly against it. Still, from his
early youth he had always been a great lover of the simple
word of God, apart from human teaching, and now in the
course of his study of the Greek Testament, was led to see
his standing in Christ more clearly than he did when first
converted. He found that, by trusting in Jesus, he was
pardoned and justified, that he was "Accepted in the
Beloved"; and whilst rejoicing in a full assurance of his
own personal salvation, this thought began gradually to
steal into his mind—"Ought I not in the same way to
take simply and literally (whenever it is possible to do so)
all the statements both in the Old and New Testaments
that point to the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and throw light upon that great event?" This single ray
of light he diligently followed, and his study of the
prophetic word eventually led to his becoming as certain
that the second coming of Christ will be pre-millennial, as
he is of any other truth revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
On Dec. 12th, the Rev. Arthur Burson presided at
the Conference, when addresses were given by Vice-Chancellor
Blake and other brethren. The subject for the
Vice-Chancellor was—"Watch"; the Rev. J. Salmon's,
"Man, as seen in the Old and New Testaments"; Mr.
Erdman's, "Eternal Life"; and in the afternoon at
Shaftesbury Hall, Mr. Müller replied in public, to nine
written questions that had been handed in, one of which
was this—"Are we to expect our Lord's return at any
moment, or that certain events must be fulfilled before He
comes again?" His answer was—"I know that on this
subject there is great diversity of judgment, and I do
not wish to force on other persons the light I have myself.
The subject, however, is not new to me; for having been a
careful, diligent student of the Bible for nearly fifty years,
my mind has long been settled on this point, and I have
not the shadow of a doubt about it. The Scriptures
declare plainly, that the Lord Jesus will not come until
the apostasy shall have taken place, and the man of sin,
the "son of perdition" (or personal Antichrist) shall
have been revealed, as seen in 2nd Thess. ii. Many other
portions also of the Word of God distinctly teach, that
certain events are to be fulfilled before the return of our
Lord Jesus Christ. This does not, however, alter the
fact, that the coming of Christ, and not death, is the great
Hope of the Church, and, if in a right state of heart, we
(as the Thessalonian believers did) shall 'serve the living
and true God, and—wait for His Son from Heaven.'"
In the evening Mr. Müller spoke for 40 minutes on
"Walking with God," some valedictory addresses from
the Vice-Chancellor and other brethren followed, and
after singing—"Till He come, oh let that word," etc., the
President requested "Our dear brother, Mr. Müller, to
give the benediction," when the happy Toronto Conference
terminated.
During his concluding remarks, Vice-Chancellor Blake
expressed his surprise that pastors and servants of Christ,
who minister in word and doctrine, take so little notice of
the second Advent, as nearly "one third of the Bible,
either directly or indirectly, points to it." By most of
them the subject is ignored; but "Christ crucified, Christ
risen, and Christ coming," should be their theme. One
important feature in the Toronto Conference was—that
instruction was given as to the character of the dispensation
in which we live. How important it is to understand
that there will be no universal blessing now, but that the
very opposite of this is to be expected; for iniquity will
abound and increase, in the professing Church as well as
in the world, until at last "the man of sin will be revealed
the son of perdition, whom the Lord shall consume with
the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness
of His coming." How earnestly should we seek to
walk and to act now, as in the light of the great day of
Christ's appearing!
On Sunday morning, Dec. 14th, Mr. Müller preached
at Elm Street Methodist Church; and at the great
Metropolitan Church, addressed an immense congregation
in the evening, from John xiv. 16, 17. His subject was
the indwelling and power of the Holy Ghost, and he concluded
his sermon with a word of warning to believers not
to grieve the Spirit. The unconverted were also solemnly
reminded, that—"If any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of His." That evening we heard from
Mr. Clarkson (pastor of the Sherbourne Street Methodist
Church) that on Sunday morning, Nov. 9th, when my
husband preached for him, there were several conversions
amongst his congregation. Referring also to himself, he
said—"Your ministry, under God, has greatly quickened
me."
On Saturday morning, Dec. 20th, we left Toronto, and
went, viâ Hamilton and Niagara Falls, to Buffalo, on the
shores of Lake Erie, in the United States, 120 miles
distant. There, on the following day (Sunday), Mr.
Müller preached at the Westminster Presbyterian Church
in the morning, and at the Central Presbyterian in the
evening, where there was a "union service." During our
visit to Buffalo, he held meetings also at the Hall of the
Young Men's Christian Association, at Prospect Avenue
Church, the North Presbyterian, First Baptist, and
Lafayette Street Churches, at St. Peter's (a large German
Church which was crowded to the utmost with a mass
meeting of Germans, 2,000 being present) at the new
Church of the Evangelical Association, and at Calvary
Presbyterian Church. On Dec. 30th, at a meeting for
pastors, he addressed about 50 for an hour and 10 minutes,
who received him most affectionately, and on Jan. 4th,
1880, preached again at St. Peter's in German to a vast
audience of 2,000. In addition to his English services,
he held four large German meetings altogether.
On Jan. 5th we left Buffalo, and returning through
Niagara Falls and Hamilton, went viâ Paris, to Woodstock,
Canada, where, during our short stay, my husband
preached at the Baptist, Knox, and Methodist Churches,
and gave an address at the Baptist College to the students.
During our stay at Woodstock, a pastor from Hamilton
related to us the following interesting circumstance:—
Several years ago John and Thomas Gain of Hamilton
(two orphan lads) were converted through going to a
Sunday School, which they had been in the habit of
attending, and some time afterwards "George Müller's
Life of Trust" was given to them. In consequence of
reading this book—having determined to begin business
for themselves, and to carry it on by prayer and faith,
according to the principles therein so strongly advocated,
they began to manufacture paper bags, with addresses
printed on them of the men of business by whom the bags
were ordered. Desiring, however, to adhere closely to
their principle of trust in God, they were most careful to
avoid undertaking orders that involved any departure
from it, and all kinds of business upon which they could
not confidently ask His blessing. This path of faith resulted
in prosperity, for the Lord so blessed them, that
they became comparatively rich. John Gain, who has
since departed to be with Christ, died triumphantly; but
his brother Thomas is still living, and continues to carry
on business at Hamilton. The gentleman who related
these particulars, knew them both well, as they were formerly
members of the church of which he was the pastor.
On Jan. 10th, we left Woodstock, and went to London,
Ontario, where, the next morning (Sunday), Mr. Müller
preached at Queen's Avenue Methodist Church, and that
evening and the next addressed large audiences at St.
Andrew's. After this last service we were introduced to
several persons, amongst whom was the Rev. Josiah
Henson, a venerable negro, with a pleasant expression of
countenance, and white hair, who shook hands with us
most cordially. This was "Uncle Tom," the hero of
"Uncle Tom's Cabin," a well-known character to many.
During the remainder of our short stay at London, Mr.
Müller held a few other meetings; and on Jan. 17th we
left Canada for Detroit, Michigan, United States, where,
on the afternoons of Sunday, the 18th, and Monday, the
19th, he preached at Fort Street Presbyterian Church;
and on the evening of the latter day, at St. John's, a
German Lutheran Church, which was crowded. A number
of German ministers too from the city and neighbourhood
were present on this occasion. Whilst at Detroit,
my husband preached likewise at the First Baptist,
Jefferson Avenue, Central Methodist Episcopal, Simpson
Methodist Episcopal, and Central Presbyterian Churches;
held three more meetings for the Germans, addressed a
number of pastors at Lafayette Street Church, spoke at
the Central Methodist Episcopal Church on Feb. 2nd, to
about 500 Christian Workers, and had five private interviews
of two hours each with Dr. Pierson (pastor of Fort
Street Presbyterian Church) with reference to his labours
in the ministry.
From Detroit, on Feb. 4th, we went to Ypsilanti (at
which place Mr. Müller preached three times, and
addressed about 200 students of the Normal School, or
State College who were being trained for teachers), and
from Ypsilanti proceeded to Ann Arbor, where, on Sunday
morning, Feb. 8th, he addressed a union meeting of
Germans in their own language at a German Church. On
that evening also, at the great University Hall (the
largest in the State of Michigan) he addressed a mass-meeting,
consisting of about 1,000 students out of the
2,000 who belong to the University, and 1,800 persons
from churches which had been closed, that their members
might attend this service. From the platform of the Hall
(a large semi-circular building), just before the sermon, Dr.
Brown, of the Presbyterian Church, made a short opening
speech, and concluded his remarks by saying:—"We
have for years, Mr. Müller, been acquainted with your life
and labours; we thank God for you; your work has been
an inspiration to us, and we now most heartily welcome
you to the University and to the Churches of Ann Arbor."
My husband then addressed the vast audience for an
hour, and spoke particularly to the students who formed a
large portion of the congregation.
The following brief account of this University may here
be considered interesting:—
"The University of Michigan, located in Ann Arbor,
is one of the noblest Institutions in the land. With fees
little more than nominal, and with a standard of scholarship
as high as any College or University in the country,
it numbers amongst its students natives of every part of
the globe. The University buildings occupy a square of
ground, each front of which is nearly a quarter of a mile
in length. There are no dormitories, all the space being
devoted to purposes of instruction. The library is large
and constantly increasing; the geological collection is one
of the most perfect in the country; there is a fine art
gallery; and the medical museum is complete." Before
our departure, Mr. Müller preached at the Presbyterian
Church, and held a second German service on Feb. 10th.
On the 11th we left Ann Arbor for Olivet, but, in consequence
of a railway accident, our journey was delayed;
and having to pass one night at Jackson on the way, and
to drive through Charlotte to another station, we did not
reach our destination until Thursday afternoon the 12th.
At Olivet, a little village, remarkable chiefly for its
College, my husband preached only twice; and on the
latter occasion addressed the College students (of whom
there were about 300) at the Church belonging to the
Institution.
On Feb. 14th, we had a long drive to Marshall, 12
miles distant, and then continued our journey by rail to
Kalamazoo, 35 miles from Marshall. Here Mr. Müller
preached twice at the First Presbyterian Church, and held
two union meetings, one at the Wesleyan and the other
at the Baptist Church. On the afternoon of Feb. 8th, he
gave an address also at Mount Holyoke Seminary for
Ladies, which stands upon a hill in a beautiful situation,
at a little distance from the town. On Feb. 19th, he held
a meeting for the 135 students of Kalamazoo College,
and on the 20th we left for Chicago, 142 miles from
Kalamazoo.
There my husband preached at the First Congregational
Church on Sunday morning, the 22nd; addressed
about 2,000 Germans at Mr. Moody's Tabernacle in the
afternoon; held German meetings at Farwell Hall, on
the evenings of the 23rd, 24th, and 25th; and on the
26th gave a farewell address to the Germans of Chicago
at Moody's Tabernacle in the evening. On Feb. 27th,
at an evening meeting connected with the Sunday School
Teachers' Convention for Cook's County, held at Farwell
Hall, which was attended by delegates and superintendents
from Chicago and other places; Mr. Müller addressed
1,000 Christian workers for about an hour, and was followed
by Major Whittle and Mr. Jacobs, who also gave
addresses. On Sunday, Feb. 29th, my husband preached
at the Tabernacle in the morning, from 2nd Tim. iv. 7, 8,
with great help and power, and spoke in the afternoon on
the Second Coming of Christ, from the parable of the ten
virgins, at the same place.
On the evenings of the 1st and 2nd of March, he
preached again at the Tabernacle; held a meeting at the
Second Presbyterian Church on the evening of the 3rd,
gave an address at the lecture room of the First Congregational
Church on the 4th, and on the 5th held a farewell
meeting at the lecture room of Dr. Goodwin's
Church. Before our departure the German pastors stated
that his ministry had been made a great blessing to their
congregations.
On March 6th we left Chicago for Milwaukee, the commercial
capital of Wisconsin, 85 miles distant, which contains
a population of 130,000, two thirds of whom are
Germans. On the following day (Sunday) Mr. Müller
preached both morning and evening at Immanuel Church,
held a meeting on the 8th at Plymouth Congregational
Church, and on the evening of Tuesday, March 9th,
addressed a mass meeting of Germans at the Second
Congregational Church. During our stay at Milwaukee,
he held three other German meetings, and on the evening
of the 11th preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church,
which was his last service in that city.
On March 12th, at midnight, we left for St. Paul,
Minnesota, 324 miles from Milwaukee; and, after travelling
for many miles along the banks of the Upper Mississippi
through a beautiful district, reached our destination on
the 13th, at 1.25 p.m. After our arrival the cold became
so severe, that the thermometer registered 10 degrees
below zero, that is, 42 degrees of frost. The next morning
(Sunday, 14th), at Immanuel Church, Mr. Müller
held a meeting for the Germans, who form more than
half the population of St. Paul; and in the evening a
mass meeting of Germans assembled at the Opera House,
where he addressed them in their own language for an
hour. On Monday morning, the 15th, he attended a
meeting of pastors, and on that evening and the next,
preached to large congregations of Germans. During the
remainder of our stay at St. Paul, he preached in English
also at the Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, and
Baptist Churches, and gave an address at a meeting of
ladies one afternoon.
"St. Paul, the capital of Minnesota, is on the river
Mississippi, 2,082 miles from its mouth at New Orleans,
and is the largest city in the State. The Mississippi rises
in Minnesota; at its source it is 3,160 miles from its
mouth, and passes over more than 18 degrees of latitude."
During our visit to St. Paul the weather was intensely
cold, but the air was of the dryest, purest, most invigorating
character, and is considered particularly healthy even
for invalids.
On March 20th, we went to Minneapolis, where, on the
morning of Sunday, the 21st, Mr. Müller spoke at the
Hall of the Young Men's Christian Association, and
preached in the evening at the Plymouth Congregational
Church, to about 1,800 people. On March 22nd, at a
pastors' meeting, he addressed 50 of his brethren in the
ministry, by whom he was most affectionately received;
preached on the 24th at East Minneapolis, on the opposite
bank of the Mississippi; held a meeting for the Germans
on the 25th; answered written questions at the Methodist
Episcopal Centenary Church the following evening, which
had been handed in; and on the 27th, addressed the
students of the College at Minneapolis, 275 in number.
The following note from a pastor at Minneapolis was
received after our departure:—
"Dear Brother in Christ,—I cannot express to you the
pleasure I have enjoyed in listening to your addresses in
this city, all of which, in the English language, I have
heard. My faith in God, as the hearer and answerer of
prayer, has been greatly strengthened, and I feel that,
through his abounding grace, I have, during the last week,
enjoyed especial nearness to Him, and have been better
fitted for the ministry I love. I shall ever be thankful
for your visit to Minneapolis, and think of you and your
work with affectionate interest. For twelve years I have
ministered to the church which I now serve, and God has
been pleased to give me some souls as seals of my
ministry; but I long to be more like my Master, and
more successful in my work. God bless you, dear Mr.
Müller, and your beloved wife, your Orphanage in Bristol;
and may He abundantly prosper all the labours of your
hands. If it shall never be my privilege to meet you
again in this world, I shall hope to be filled with your
company in our Father's house above."
"Yours, until He come."
The State of Minnesota, in which St. Paul and Minneapolis
are situated, is remarkable for the richness and
fertility of its soil. The land is divided into sections
which contain many hundreds of acres each, and the field
operations carried on are conducted by hundreds of men,
who form a little army, and work at the same time, with
military order and regularity. The harvesting machines
used are so constructed that the corn is reaped, gathered
into sheaves, bound into bundles, and thrown aside by one
single machine; and as there is no ploughing by hand—at
the time of seed sowing furrows, seven miles in length,
are made across the prairies by ploughing machines which
turn up the soil, deposit the grain in the earth, and then
cover it over.
On March 27th we left by rail for Northfield, a village
in Minnesota, 42 miles from Minneapolis, where (on our
arrival at the Archer House) we found the wife of a Baptist
minister of Faribault kindly waiting to receive us, who,
when only 12 years of age, was converted at Bristol
through my husband's ministry. The next morning
(Easter Sunday) Mr. Müller preached at the Methodist
Episcopal Church to a crowded audience from 1st Cor. xv.;
in the evening, at the Congregational Church, he addressed
a union meeting of the various Northfield congregations;
and before our departure held a meeting for the Germans
at a German Church.
The morning of March 31st was ushered in by heavy
thunder storms, accompanied by high wind; but the
weather moderated in time for us to reach the station at
half-past 8. After passing through Faribault, we changed
trains at Austin, travelled thence to Plymouth Junction, on
one of the great prairies, and at half-past 8 p.m. reached
Cedar Rapids, on the Red Cedar river (222 miles from
Northfield) where we passed the night. The next afternoon
our journey was continued, and at 5 p.m. we arrived at
Mount Vernon, Iowa, where a rough, covered waggon conveyed
us to the village inn. There, in the evening, and twice
on the following Sunday (April 4th) Mr. Müller preached
at the Methodist Episcopal Church, to large attentive audiences;
but, as engagements had been made for other places,
our visit to Mount Vernon was of brief duration only.
On April 5th, accordingly, we rose at half-past 4, and
at 6 left for Davenport, Iowa; where (after waiting at De
Witt for an hour and a half) we arrived in the middle of
the day. That evening, and on the 6th and 7th, Mr.
Müller preached at the German Congregational Church;
during the remainder of our stay at Davenport he held
meetings at the Methodist Episcopal, Congregational,
and Baptist Churches; and addressed about 200 students
at the High School besides.
Before our departure, we visited Rock Island, in the
Mississippi, upon which a town of the same name stands;
and drove through Moline, celebrated for its large arsenal.
Rock Island is connected with Davenport by a bridge.
On April 13th we set off for Jacksonville, Illinois; and
in the course of our journey south, found the weather
become as hot as an English July. At this town (which
is 85 miles from Davenport) we arrived at 9.20 p.m.; and,
after alighting from the train, were driven to the Dunlap
House, about a mile distant from the station. The next
evening Mr. Müller preached at the Methodist Episcopal
Church, to a large congregation, where, as the thermometer
was at 80, its 14 windows and the front doors were
left open, that no inconvenience might be occasioned from
the oppressiveness of the heat.
On April 15th we visited the "State Asylum for the
Deaf and Dumb," a most interesting institution, where
the Principal (Dr. Gillett) conducted us to a large hall, in
which the inmates of the Establishment (consisting of
460 deaf and dumb pupils, male and female, and 35
teachers) were at dinner. All eyes being immediately
directed towards us, Dr. Gillett explained at once by
signs and finger language, who the visitors were; and
announced that at half-past one, Mr. George Müller, of
Bristol, England, would address the whole assembly in
the Chapel; upon which, a young man (one of the deaf
mutes) stood up, and with his fingers said—"My ears
itch to hear him." Our attention was then directed to
'the happy family' seated at two adjoining tables, the
members of which included a Pole, some Jews, a German,
a Portuguese, a Frenchman, a negro, a Swede, an Englishman,
an Irishman, a Scotchman, an American, and an
Italian. At the hour appointed, we went into the Chapel,
which adjoins the Institution, and there, from a high
platform (with Dr. Gillett standing close to him, who,
with his fingers, interpreted as rapidly as the words were
uttered) Mr. Müller preached the gospel to the large
community of deaf and dumb, and afterwards (by particular
request) gave a very brief account of the Orphan work
on Ashley Down, Bristol, and the other branches of the
Scriptural Knowledge Institution. At the close of his
address, an attempt was made by the—hearers (can they
be called?) to express their satisfaction by applause; but
the desire was checked instantly by Dr. Gillett. We then
distributed some gospel tracts amongst them, and afterwards
visited the educational and industrial departments
of the Institution, including a room devoted to drawing,
painting, and other artistic employments, in which some
of the deaf and dumb pupils excel. All the furniture
used in the Establishment, as well as the boots and shoes
worn by its inmates, are made on the premises. This is
the largest Deaf and Dumb Institution in the world.
Before our departure from Jacksonville, Mr. Müller
preached twice at the Presbyterian Church; but, having
made engagements for other places, was unable to prolong
his visit.
On April 17th, therefore, we rose at half past 4, set off
by an early train for Bloomington, Illinois (90 miles from
Jacksonville), and arrived there the same morning at half
past 10. The next day (Sunday, the 18th), my husband
preached morning and evening at the First Presbyterian
Church, when the congregations were larger than could
have been expected, considering the unfavourable weather,
which was oppressively hot, with very high wind and rain
that fell at intervals in torrents. These storms gradually
increased, and on Monday, in the middle of the night, we
were roused by a cyclone, which broke over the town. The
high wind then became a hurricane, the sky was in a blaze
with lightning for hours, loud peals of thunder burst overhead,
and rain, mixed with hail, swept down upon the
streets in a complete deluge. Every moment we expected
our windows to be blown in, and feared that a frightful
crash in some part of the hotel would announce that great
damage had been done; but, happily, towards morning,
the wind gradually abated, and at last (through the Lord's
kindness) the storm ceased. For a few days the newspapers
contained alarming accounts of this tornado, and
mentioned numerous places devastated by it, amongst
which was Marshfield, where the destruction was overwhelming.
"This part of the country" (said the "Daily Sentinel,"
of Indianapolis) "was visited last evening by one of the
most terrific cyclones on record. After passing through
several miles of country, it struck Marshfield about half
past 6 p.m., when, an eye witness of the approaching
storm, described it as a frightful-looking black cloud,
lined with fleecy white. It was funnel shaped, and moved
like a screw-propeller with wonderful velocity, literally
destroying and blowing away everything in its path,
which was about half a mile wide, and carrying death and
destruction with it. Seventy-eight people were killed
instantly, and eighty-five were wounded. Large trees
were twisted off, telegraph wires were snapped, houses
were blown from their foundations, and what was a beautiful,
peaceful, quiet town 24 hours ago, is now a waste of
desolation."
Before our departure from Bloomington, Mr. Müller
preached at each of the two Presbyterian Churches, and
held one German meeting.
On April 21st we went to Indianapolis, the capital of
Indiana (166 miles from Bloomington) a beautiful city on
the western branch of the White River, surrounded by an
extensive plain. There my husband preached at the Second
and Third Presbyterian, the First Baptist, the Meridian
Street Methodist, and the German Methodist Churches, and
attended a meeting of pastors on the 26th, when he addressed
many of his brethren in the ministry for an hour.
From Indianapolis, on April 28th we proceeded to Cincinnati,
Ohio, where, during our visit of 10 days, he preached
three times at the Vine Street Congregational Church, and
twice at the Central Presbyterian Church; gave an address
at the Friends' Meeting House, conducted three services in
the city for the Germans (of whom there are many thousands
in Cincinnati), addressed about 200 ministers at a pastors'
meeting, and, on the evening of May 5th, preached in
German at Immanuel Methodist Church, Covington,
Kentucky, about five miles distant. Besides these services,
on May 1st we visited Mr. Shipley's Home for
Children, when he gave a short address to the young
people.
Cincinnati is 861 miles from New York. It extends
along the northern bank of the river Ohio, and has a
population of between three and four hundred thousand.
From there, on May 8th we went to Dayton, Ohio, 56
miles from Cincinnati, where Mr. Müller preached the same
evening at a German Church. During our stay, he held
meetings also at the First Presbyterian and First Baptist
Churches, and gave an address at the Hall of the Young
Men's Christian Association.
On May 11th we visited the "Central National
Soldiers' Home," three miles and a half from Dayton,
which consists of a group of buildings more than 40 in
number, where (up to that time) 4,245 men had been received,
all of whom were soldiers disabled or invalided by
wounds, received during the late war. The Brick Hall
(which seats 3,000) is the largest dining hall in the United
States. As numbers of these soldiers were either walking
or sitting about in the beautiful grounds belonging to the
Institution, we were able to distribute tracts amongst
them. The average expenses of the Home are 400,000
dollars (or £80,000) per annum.
From Dayton, on May 12th, we went to Cleveland,
Ohio, 190 miles distant, where, on that evening and the
next, my husband preached at the United German Church.
On the 14th we left for Buffalo, and the following day
continued our journey to Dansville, Livingstone County,
New York (283 miles from Cleveland) where, at "Our
Home on the Hill Side" (a Hygienic Institution) we
spent eleven days, having received an invitation from Dr.
Jackson, the Principal of the Establishment, to be his guests.
There, on Sunday morning (the 16th) Mr. Müller
preached at "Liberty Hall" (the Chapel belonging to the
Institution) to the patients, and the other inmates of the
Home; and in the evening addressed a large, crowded
audience, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, Dansville.
During the week, he conducted morning family worship
at "Our Home," gave one or two addresses at the prayer
meetings; and on the following Sunday (May 23rd)
preached at the English and German Lutheran Churches.
This Hygienic Institution consists of one large main
building, and a number of smaller detached residences,
which belong to it. Here, "all the natural agencies, such
as air, water, food, sunlight, electricity, exercise, rest, and
recreation are brought into use for the restoration of the
sick, and obedience to the laws of nature is enjoined, as
one of the first requisites for recovery."
On the morning of May 27th, Mr. Müller gave a farewell
address to the inmates of "Our Home;" at half past 3
we left for Rochester, and in the evening went on to the
Sanatorium, at Clifton Springs, 90 miles from Dansville.
There he preached at the Chapel on the evening of
the 28th, conducted family worship on the mornings of
Saturday the 29th, and Sunday the 30th, and preached
on the evening of the 30th at the Chapel to a large congregation.
On Monday evening (May 31st) he preached
again at the Chapel of the Sanatorium, gave a farewell
address at the same place the following morning; and, at a
little prayer meeting in the evening, we were both commended
to the Lord for our approaching voyage to England.
As the time for our departure from the United States
had now arrived, on Wednesday, June 2nd, at 9.22 a.m.,
we started (viâ Syracuse, Richland, and Watertown) for
Cape Vincent, at the north-east extremity of Lake
Ontario; reached our destination at half past 6, and,
embarking in the boat which was waiting, after a pleasant
little voyage of eleven miles across the lake, landed at
Kingston at half past 8, and went to the "British
American Hotel."
On the following morning we rose at half past 3, went
on board the steamer "Spartan" and started for Montreal.
The vessel was crowded with passengers, but, the weather
being fine, the voyage was delightful. After leaving Lake
Ontario, we passed through the "Lake of the Thousand
Islands" (as the first 40 miles of the river St. Lawrence
are called) surrounded by the most beautiful scenery,
reached Ogdensburg in a few hours, and at 4 o'clock went
down "the Rapids," a dangerous passage, formerly considered
impracticable, but now, by the help of Indian
pilots, successfully accomplished. In the evening, at the
close of a long day's voyage, we arrived at Montreal,
changed steamers there, and after a favourable night
passage, on Friday morning, June 4th, at half past 7,
landed at Quebec.
On the evening of that day Mr. Müller preached at
the Hall of the Young Men's Christian Association, but
there was no time for him to hold further meetings before
our departure for England.
The next morning, Saturday, the 5th of June, at 9
o'clock, we went on board the "Sardinian" (Allan Line),
and soon after 10 began our voyage down the river. In
the evening, at 7 o'clock, a meeting was held in the forecastle
for the sailors, to whom my husband spoke for
20 minutes, and at 8 o'clock he conducted a Bible reading
in the Chart Room. On Sunday morning, June 6th, he
preached in the saloon, and every day had a Bible reading
with the passengers. After entering the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, we passed through six hundred miles of fogs
and icebergs, which so greatly hindered the progress of
the ship, that the voyage occupied eleven days instead of
only eight or nine. On Sunday morning, June 13th, Mr.
Müller preached again in the saloon, and spoke in the
afternoon from Job xvii. 9, at a little meeting in the
Chart Room.
On Wednesday, the 16th, at 3 p.m., we landed at Liverpool,
proceeded the next day to Bristol, and arrived
on Ashley Down at half past 4; where the dear Orphan
boys and girls received and welcomed us with hearty
cheers. Near the lodge a number of Christian friends also
had assembled to witness our arrival, and, at New Orphan
House No. 3, we had the pleasure of greeting and shaking
hands with nearly all our numerous helpers.
Thus ended our sixth missionary tour (marked in every
way by the loving kindness of the Lord), in the course of
which my husband preached 299 times at 42 different
places.
SEVENTH TOUR. — CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. From Sept. 15th, 1880, to May 31st, 1881.
After Mr. Müller had laboured for ten months in
word and doctrine during his first visit to America,
though he preached 308 times, he had to leave the country
with 108 written invitations which he was not then able to
accept. This led him to go to the United States a second
time, when he stayed nine months, and spoke in public
299 times altogether; but on leaving found, that 154
written invitations remained unaccepted. On this account
therefore, after staying in Bristol from June 17th, 1880,
to Sept. 15th of the same year (where he laboured continually
at the Orphan Houses, and in pastoral work belonging
to the three chapels with which he is connected)—believing
it to be the will of God that he should return
to the United States, on Thursday, Sept. 16th, we
embarked at Liverpool for Canada in the "Sardinian;"
and, after a favourable voyage, on Sept. 26th, at 11 a.m.,
landed at Quebec.
During the passage, he held eight meetings; spoke
at three Bible readings, and circulated about 200
little books amongst the passengers and crew. On
the evening of the 26th, he preached at the Baptist
Church, Quebec; and during the seven days that we remained
held eight other meetings in the city. Whilst at
Quebec, a Roman Catholic gentleman of high position,
attended nearly all the services; we conversed with him
afterwards; and he gladly accepted the three volumes of
my husband's Narrative.
On Oct. 4th, at 8 p.m., we left Quebec by rail, arrived
at Boston, in the United States, at 10 minutes past 5 on
the following afternoon, and remained there five weeks.
During that period, Mr. Müller preached many times at
the different places of worship, and attended the "Market
men's prayer meeting" at noon, where he habitually gave
addresses. This meeting was frequented chiefly by men
of business, who met every day for prayer and exhortation
from 12 to 1 o'clock. My husband preached also at East
Cambridge, Chelsea, Newton, and Newtonville; addressed
the students of the Theological Seminary at Newton
Central, seven miles from Boston, and on Oct. 27th held
a meeting for the students of the Theological Seminary of
the University of Boston.
On Oct. 29th we went to Wellesley College, 16 miles
from Boston, where, on that evening and the next morning,
he addressed the 360 lady students who belong to it,
many of whom were Christians. Neither in Great Britain
nor on the Continent of Europe, have we ever seen educational
establishments for young ladies equal to the
Colleges which are to be found in the United States.
When visiting four of these Institutions, we heard that
the pupils are not only instructed in the various branches
of a first-class education, but that the young ladies are
carefully trained in a knowledge of housekeeping also, and
of the numerous domestic duties connected with home life.
By turns, they each do the portion of the daily work of
the establishment assigned to them, both for the sake of
learning how it should be done properly, and also that
physical exercise may be healthfully combined with the
culture of the mind. The religious training at these
Colleges too is excellent, and the spiritual interests of the
young ladies are carefully attended to.
Before our departure from Boston, we visited Plymouth,
New England, 37 miles distant, where Mr. Müller
preached at the "Church of the Pilgrims," an interesting
place of worship, because it represents the Church erected
by the "Pilgrim Fathers" on their first arrival in the
United States. Plymouth is noted as being the place
where they landed on the 22nd of Dec., 1620, and as containing
the site of the first house ever built in New England.
At "Pilgrims' Hall" are many interesting relics
that belonged to them, brought over to America in the
"Mayflower," which conveyed the strangers across the
Atlantic to their new home. At Boston and in the
neighbourhood my husband spoke 38 times in public
altogether.
After leaving this city, Milford, Massachusetts, was our
next resting place, where four meetings were held; and on
Nov. 13th we left for Amherst. Here, on the following
afternoon, at the College Chapel, Mr. Müller addressed
339 students; in the evening, at the Congregational
Church, he preached to a crowded congregation, and the
next morning attended a pastors' meeting, when he
addressed fifteen of his fellow labourers in the ministry,
whom he sought to encourage in their service for the
Lord.
From Amherst we went to Northampton, where, at
Smith's College, he addressed 260 of the lady students.
In this town. President Edwards resided for many years,
and the Church, at which he ministered, was pointed out.
On Nov. 18th we paid a second visit to Mount Holyoke
Female Seminary, South Hadley, founded in 1837 by
Mary Lyon, where, that evening and the next morning,
Mr. Müller addressed the 250 lady students who belong to
it. From this Institution, many godly young women have
gone forth as missionaries; and some Christian school-teachers
of note, were trained and educated at Mount
Holyoke. On the evening of Nov. 19th, my husband
preached at South Hadley Church, early on the morning
of the 20th, he gave a third address to the young ladies
at the Seminary, and on the forenoon of that day we left
for Hartford, Connecticut, 52 miles from South Hadley,
where he preached six times, and addressed thirty of his
brethren in Christ at a pastors' meeting. He held three
meetings also in this city for the Germans.
On Nov. 27th we went to New Haven, Connecticut
(the seat of Yale College, founded in the year 1700); and
whilst there, through the courtesy of the President and
of the University chaplain, Mr. Müller had opportunities
of addressing a considerable number of the students, for
whom he held two meetings. This was an important service,
which he gladly undertook, having heard of great
blessing resulting from his labours amongst the students
of Colleges, Theological Seminaries, and Universities, both
in Europe and America.
At New Haven he preached twelve times, and once at
Fair Haven in the vicinity. Four of these meetings were
in German; at one he addressed a number of pastors, and
at another spoke to 140 children belonging to the Orphan
Asylum.
On Dec. 8th we left New Haven for New York, and
remained there fourteen weeks and three days; because,
during our two former visits to America, having been able
to give but little time, to this, the largest city in the
United States, Mr. Müller considered it right to remain
as long as possible, that he might do what he could for
the spiritual welfare of the people. The population of
New York is about one million four hundred thousand.
It contains upwards of three hundred thousand Germans,
and as at Brooklyn there are two hundred thousand more,
he had abundant opportunity of labouring amongst them.
The English-speaking population of this city, Brooklyn
and the neighbourhood, is about one million and a half.
We remained therefore at New York from Dec. 8th, 1880,
to March 19th, 1881.
During the whole of this period, my husband preached
69 times in the city, 15 times at Brooklyn, once at
Harlem, twice at Hoboken, New Jersey, twice at Tremont,
once at Washington Heights, and twice at Union Hill,
New Jersey—92 meetings altogether, 38 of which were
in German. That winter was the coldest that had been
known in New York for thirty years, and the many long
drives my beloved husband took at night to Brooklyn and
other places, seven, eight, or nine miles from our hotel,
when the weather was most severe, were very trying,
especially as it was necessary to cross a ferry, where the
ice was occasionally so thick, that it was with difficulty a
passage could be forced through it by the steamer. Constrained
by the love of Christ, however, he persevered in a
service, that would have been considered, by most persons
of his age, an arduous undertaking; but though he felt
the cold, was not allowed to suffer from it in the least.
On March 19th we went to Newark, New Jersey, a
city of about 120,000 inhabitants, amongst whom there
are more than 30,000 Germans. Before our arrival,
a series of services for them had been arranged, so that
for three weeks Mr. Müller preached exclusively amongst
the Germans, and not until a later period, at the large
American churches of the city. During our visit to
Newark, he preached three times at Elizabeth, twice at
Orange, twice at Bloomfield, gave long addresses at two
meetings for pastors, held three meetings for Christian
workers, conducted one service for Theological students,
and preached 26 times at Newark.
On April 18th we went to Port Chester, where he
preached four times; on the afternoon of April 22nd we
left for Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 464 miles distant; and on
the morning of April 23rd, arrived at the Monongahela
Hotel, Pittsburg, after travelling all night. There, my husband
held nine meetings in English, and nine in German
(as Pittsburg and Alleghany, an adjoining city, contain
about 60,000 Germans) and attended two meetings of
German and American pastors whom he addressed.
Pittsburg (which is a very large manufacturing city)
was enveloped in one vast cloud of smoke, and fine
particles of dust, so that, although the weather was at
times sultry and oppressive, it was necessary always to
keep the windows shut. "This city is at the head of the
river Ohio, at the confluence of the Alleghany and the
Monongahela, and is situated in a district extremely rich
in mineral wealth, whilst its vicinity to inexhaustible coal
and iron mines, has raised it to great distinction as a manufacturing
place. The immense extent of its manufactures,
and of the coal and oil trade of the city can be realized,
from the fact, that within the limits of what is known
throughout the country as Pittsburg, there are 35 miles of
manufactories of iron, glass, steel, copper, oil, woods,
cotton, and brass, without including manufactories of
various other materials."
On May 12th we left Pittsburg, and, after passing one
night at Philadelphia, returned to New York on the 13th,
where Mr. Müller fulfilled a few preaching engagements,
before our embarkation for England on the 21st. During
this our third tour in the United States, he preached 244
times altogether. At eighteen of these meetings, he
addressed German or American pastors; fifteen were held
for the students of Universities, Theological Seminaries,
and Colleges; and seven for Christian workers.
On Saturday, May 21st, we embarked for England in
the "Britannic," and, after a most favourable passage,
landed at Liverpool on May 30th. The next day we returned
to Bristol; and, on reaching Ashley Down in the
afternoon at half-past 4, were cordially welcomed home by
many hundreds of the Orphan boys and girls, who, with
several Christian friends and a large staff of helpers at
the Orphan Houses, were waiting our arrival. Thus
ended this seventh missionary tour, a long journey by land
and water, which (like our previous travels) was marked
from beginning to end by innumerable mercies.
EIGHTH TOUR. — EGYPT, PALESTINE, ASIA MINOR, TURKEY, AND GREECE. From August 23rd, 1881, to May 30th, 1882.
After remaining in Bristol for eleven weeks, on
August 23rd, 1881, we set off for Dover on our
eighth missionary tour; crossed over to Calais on the
24th, went on to Paris, and, having started for Switzerland
on the 25th, arrived at Berne on the 27th.
After Mr. Müller had preached many times there, had
held meetings at Männedorf, Wädenschwyl, Zürich, Basel,
and Stuttgart, having been led through the advice of a
brother in Christ, to decide on visiting the Holy Land,
on Thursday, Oct. 20th, at 2 p.m., we embarked at
Marseilles in the steamer "Said," for Alexandria. My
husband had had it particularly laid upon his heart to
comfort and encourage the missionaries from Great
Britain, America, Germany, Switzerland, and other
countries, who labour in the East, because their trials and
difficulties are great; and he desired to visit some of the
German colonies, that he might preach amongst them, and
encourage the German pastors in their work. After
leaving Marseilles, for eighteen hours the weather was
very rough, but as the wind gradually abated, the sea
became calm; we anchored in the Bay of Naples for a
few hours, and at half-past 2 on the afternoon of
Oct. 26th, landed at Alexandria.
Here the Scotch minister, the German pastor, and the
German deaconesses showed us much kindness; and,
during the ten days that we remained, Mr. Müller had a
considerable amount of work. He preached repeatedly in
German at the Prussian Hospital, held meetings in English
at the Scotch Free Church, addressed the children of
the Scotch Jewish Mission Schools, and the children of
the American United Presbyterian Mission Schools, and
preached at the German Church.
On the afternoon of Nov. 3rd, we went by rail to
Ramleh, six miles distant, which has a cooler climate
than Alexandria, and contains a few handsome residences,
where some of the wealthy inhabitants of the city live.
On the way, we passed four cemeteries, one Jewish,
another Catholic, a third Greek, and the fourth
Mahometan. The tombs in the Mahometan burying
ground were of an Oriental character, and very unlike
monuments erected over graves in European cemeteries.
We passed a palace belonging to the Khedive or Viceroy
of Egypt also. A large grove of palm trees laden with
dates had a most luxuriant appearance. At Ramleh, at
a small chapel, Mr. Müller addressed a congregation of
Catholics, Jews, and Protestants who understood English;
and on the 4th, at the Scotch Mission School, conversed
with several Jewish girls, by means of Arabic translation.
In going to and from the meetings, we noticed the
great variety of costumes worn by persons who passed us
in the streets. Loose, white garments, and red turbans
with gold ornaments, were worn by the Turks; most of
the women were closely veiled, so that their eyes only could
be seen; and a few had veils arranged in such a manner,
that one eye alone was visible. Brass ornaments too,
fixed between the eyes, were generally worn by un-veiled
women, which disfigured their countenances much. Most
of the poor walked about barefoot, and some Arabs, in
thin clothings, slept soundly, as they lay stretched at full
length by the side of the pavement in the streets. During
our short stay at Alexandria the heat was great; as late
in the year as the beginning of November, the thermometer
sometimes registered 90 degrees, and the flies and
mosquitos were most troublesome.
On Nov. 4th Mr. Müller preached a farewell sermon at
the Prussian Hospital, in German, and on the 5th we
went by rail to Cairo, where he preached for the German
pastor, and held meetings in connection with the American
Mission; openings for service being numerous in this city
as well as at Alexandria.
On Nov. 9th, we set off early in an open carriage, with
a dragoman as interpreter, to see the Pyramids, ten miles
from Cairo, which are reached by a good road under a
shady avenue of trees; and a little before noon alighted
near "the great Pyramid of Cheops, 460 feet high, which
was erected as a tomb, about 30 centuries ago, when its
construction employed 100,000 men for twenty years.
The exterior of this Pyramid was once smooth, but it is
now rough and uneven, presenting 206 steps from one to
four feet high, by which an ascent to the summit is made.
From this point the view includes the Nile, the minarets of
Cairo, the plain where the French defeated the Mamelukes,
the site of Memphis, the great African Desert, a
multitude of tombs, and two other Pyramids. From
Gizeh to Memphis on the west side of the Nile, about 70
Pyramids can be counted, all burial places of kings, with
tombs and chapels adjoining them. A quarter of a mile
from the nearest Pyramid, lies the Sphinx, a stone lion
102 feet long, now heavily buried in sand, having a human
face 18 feet in length; but the head and part of the neck
only are now visible." Our walk to the Sphinx was
oppressively warm, for the sun shone with a brightness
that was dazzling. The heat and glare too from the
sandy ground on which we trod, made the atmosphere
around like the hot air issuing from an oven. Troups of
Bedouin Arabs congregate in the neighbourhood of the
Pyramids, who flock around strangers and volunteer their
services as guides.
Besides visiting the Pyramids, before our departure
from Cairo, we walked through the Museum, which contains
a valuable collection of Egyptian curiosities, consisting
of statues, pottery, manuscripts of the Pharaohs, and
other relics, some of which are supposed to be nearly
4,000 years old; but the most remarkable objects in the
Museum are the mummies. These are embalmed bodies
(principally of Egyptian Kings), recently discovered, and
amongst them (it is said) is the mummy of that great
oppressor of the Israelites, the Pharaoh, during whose
reign they had so much to suffer, until delivered by Jehovah
through His servant Moses.
On Nov. 11th, we left Cairo for Ismailia, and from
there proceeded in a small mail steamer (viâ the Suez
Canal) to Port Said, where we arrived two hours after
midnight. At this town Mr. Müller preached twice in
English, and on Sunday, Nov. 13th, at the former of
these two services, were fourteen English sailors who had
recently been shipwrecked. Their lives therefore having
been so mercifully preserved, he took advantage of the
circumstance to press upon them the acceptance of the
gospel. At Port Said he held only one German meeting,
upon which occasion, fifteen young men and women from
Bohemia (who gained a livelihood by exercising their
talent for music) were present, all of whom were Roman
Catholics. To each a copy of the Bible or New Testament
in German was given, and the fourteen sailors were
presented with Bibles or Testaments in English. After
this German service was over, a meeting was held also
for the breaking of bread, where Mr. Müller gave an
address in English.
On the following day, at 2 p.m. we went on board a
large Russian mail steamer bound for Jaffa, and found
that, besides the saloon passengers, there were about 100
Russian pilgrims in the steerage of the ship, accompanied
by their priests of the Greek Church, who were all travelling
on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. These pilgrims performed
their religious services on deck, where they bowed,
crossed themselves repeatedly, and turned their faces eastward
towards the Holy Land. They looked very poor,
and were dirty in their habits and appearance. Each individual
belonging to this company was supplied with a
copy of the Holy Scriptures in Russ, at a nominal price,
by a Scotch Evangelist, and a colporteur, who labour for
the Lord habitually at Port Said.
After a favourable passage, on Nov. 15th, at 8 a.m., we
arrived off Jaffa, on the coast of Palestine and (as there is
no harbour to the town) anchored about a mile distant
from the shore; but on account of cholera at Mecca, had
to remain there for quarantine four and twenty hours.
On the 16th, however, at 8 a.m., the Turkish doctors permitted
us to land; but the passage from the steamer to
the shore, in a boat rowed by eight Arabs, was exceedingly
unpleasant, the waves at Jaffa being tremendous
when the wind is high.
From the ship's deck, the town had a striking and even
beautiful appearance; but, on walking through the streets,
we found them only filthy lanes, and were glad to take up
our abode at the Jerusalem Hotel, situated in a pleasant
locality, at some distance from the shore. As there is a
large German colony at Jaffa, and American and English
missionaries reside in the town, Mr. Müller was able to
preach both to German and to English congregations, and
with Arabic interpretation, when neither of these languages
was understood. He preached also at Sarona,
another German colony, three miles distant, and held
meetings in German at the house of a Russian Baron
residing at Jaffa. On Nov. 21st, at the residence of the
English clergyman, he addressed about 60 persons at half-past
4; and on the following day preached at a Hall
belonging to Miss Arnot (a Christian lady from Scotland)
who has a large school for Arabic children. On the
morning of the 24th he spoke at the Dispensary to a congregation
consisting of Mahometans, Jews, and members
of the Greek Church, when the Syrian doctor (a Christian)
translated for him into Arabic; and on the 25th
addressed 100 individuals, including natives, and English-speaking
persons, with Arabic translation, at the same
place. On the morning of Sunday, Nov. 27th, he gave
an address at the Baron's house in German, and in the
afternoon preached (for the English clergyman,) on the
second coming of Christ.
During our walks at Jaffa, we greatly admired the
plantations of orange and lemon trees which flourish there
luxuriantly; and the high, thick hedges of prickly pears,
cactus, etc., which abound, show that the warmth of the
climate is semi-tropical; but the town itself consists of
poor bazaars, dismal houses, and dirty, crooked lanes,
which repel visitors instead of inviting them to sojourn
there.
After a sojourn of twelve days at Jaffa, at 7 o'clock on
the morning of Nov. 28th, we started for Jerusalem in an
open Russian waggon, drawn by three horses (the only
kind of conveyance to be obtained), and noticed that
between Jaffa and Ramleh—where we stopped for an hour—the
land was tolerably well cultivated, and looked
fertile. At half-past 12, as the horses required further
rest, we alighted at a little roadside inn, and in two hours
our journey was resumed. Now we travelled through
a district called in Scripture, the "Mountains of
Judæa," where the aspect of the country became wild and
desolate. Palestine (spoken of in the Old Testament as—"A
land flowing with milk and honey," and as—"The
glory of all lands") is now barren, rocky, and uncultivated;
and it is evident that the curse of God rests not
only upon the Jews, but upon their country also, which is
now under Turkish rule.
Nevertheless, the day is coming when Jehovah will remember
the land also; for at the return of the Lord
Jesus, when Israel as a nation will be converted and
restored, "The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the
rose."
At length, after a trying journey of twelve hours, over
a rough, rugged road, nearly covered with large, loose
stones, at a quarter-past 7, we reached Jerusalem and
alighted outside the Jaffa gate, because carriages cannot
enter the city, as the streets are far too narrow and too
badly paved, for conveyances of any kind to be driven
along them. At the Mediterranean Hotel, we engaged a
pleasant corner room upon the first floor, from which
there was a fine view of the Mount of Olives; and the
terrace on its flat roof (where we took our daily walks)
commanded an extensive prospect. It included the
Mosque of Omar on Mount Moriah, where the Temple
formerly stood, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the
Mosque on Mount Zion, which contains the tomb of David,
the site formerly occupied by Herod's Palace, the Hospital
of St. John of Jerusalem, The Citadel, or Tower of David,
most of the public buildings in the city, and the Mount
of Olives. During our stay at Jerusalem, Mr. Müller
held numerous meetings in English and in German, and
preached habitually in these two languages, both with
and without interpretation into Arabic. At a church
where Arab Christians assemble for worship he preached
with translation into that language; at Zion School
(founded by Bishop Gobat) he addressed the teachers belonging
to it; spoke in English and in German at the
Jewish School of Industry; preached six times in part of
a building called St. John's Palace, now fitted up as a
German chapel; gave an address at the lecture room of
the English Church; spoke to the children of a Syrian
Orphanage outside the city, two miles distant, with
Arabic interpretation; addressed 108 Arab girls in
German twice at the Talitha Cumi boarding school;
spoke in English, without translation, to 135 boys and
several gentlemen and ladies at Bishop Gobat's school;
attended a Dorcas meeting two afternoons, where he
addressed a considerable number of ladies, in German;
spoke a second time at the Syrian Orphanage with Arabic
interpretation, and upon two different occasions addressed
the patients at a small hospital for lepers outside the
city. He spoke twice also to the patients of another
hospital.
Jerusalem, when compared with European cities, is now
only a small town (round which the traveller may walk
in less than 50 minutes) containing a population of about
28,000, which includes the Jews, of whom there are
8,000. These Israelites are generally very poor, and
settle in Jerusalem, because money is frequently sent
there from Europe by wealthier Jews for the relief of their
poorer brethren in Palestine; but at the present time,
there is no indication whatever of any gathering of Jews
on an extensive scale from other countries to their own
land. The missionaries who labour amongst them, meet
with comparatively little encouragement in their work,
for the number of true converts from Judaism to Christianity
is extremely small, a fact mentioned, not as a discouragement
for service, but to stir up Christians to
prayer. Since our return from Palestine, however, these
brethren have (it appears) been more successful in their
labours, and have had great cause for thankfulness.
On the afternoon of Dec. 3rd, we joined a party of
English friends, and rode on donkeys to Bethany, a mile
and a half distant, the English clergyman kindly acting
as our guide. On our way we crossed the Brook Kidron,
saw the Garden of Gethsemane, now enclosed by a wall;
and visited the cave, hewn out of a rock, where it is supposed
Lazarus was buried. An old ruined house, said to
have been the dwelling place of Martha, Mary, and
Lazarus, was also pointed out. From the summit of
the Mount of Olives the view embraced a portion of
the Dead Sea, 25 miles distant, the plain of Jordan,
the well-watered plain which Lot chose for himself,
the Mountains of Moab in the distance, the neighbourhood
of the Cave of Adullam, and a small part
of the river Jordan which flows into the Dead Sea. The
weather was magnificent; after sunset the whole scene
was lighted up by the full moon which shone brilliantly,
and coming down the Mount of Olives, we had the finest
view of Jerusalem, that is to be obtained from any point.
The Garden of Gethsemane, containing eight very old
olive trees (considered by some, from their ancient characteristics,
to be coeval with the period of our Lord's
history on earth) we passed both on our way to and from
the Mount.
On the morning of Dec. 9th, we rode on donkeys to
Bethlehem, six miles from Jerusalem; and, after lunching
in a cloister of the Latin Convent, visited a church
erected on the spot, where (according to tradition) the
manger stood, in which after His birth our Lord was laid.
During our stay at Jerusalem, we had opportunities also
of visiting the various places of interest for which the city
is celebrated. The Via Dolorosa, the Mosque of Omar,
(built on the site formerly occupied by Solomon's Temple,)
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (erected, according
to tradition, on the spot where our Lord was crucified),
Absalom's Pillar, the Pool of Bethesda, the
site of Herod's palace, the ruins of the Castle to which
Paul was taken, and the Pool of Siloam, were all visited
in turn. One of the most memorable places in the city
is—"The Wailing Place of the Jews"—where, every
Friday afternoon, shortly before sunset, they assemble to
bewail the calamities that have befallen their land and
city. On Dec. 2nd we saw about 200 Israelites gathered
close to some immense old stones—the remains of the
Temple it is supposed—which (after praying and bowing
repeatedly) with tears in their eyes, they kissed.
About one third of the present small population of
Jerusalem (28,000) consists of Mussulmans; the rest are
Jews, Christians of the Greek, Armenian, and Roman
Catholic Churches, and a very few Protestants. There
are 25 Convents, 10 Monasteries, and three large Synagogues
within its walls. The Jaffa Gate, situated near
the Citadel or Tower of David, is one of the principal
entrances to the city, and the southern portion of the
town (between the ancient Temple and part of Mount
Zion) is the quarter occupied by the Jews.
In the streets of Jerusalem, day after day, we saw numbers
of men, women, and children standing about half-naked,
or clothed in miserable rags; and strangers cannot
walk a short distance even, without being besieged for
alms by the beggars that abound, not a few of whom are
lepers. They hold up their disfigured hands and arms,
and, pointing to their dreadful sores, follow visitors persistently,
entreating them, in piteous, lamentable tones of
voice, to have compassion on, and help them.
Whilst at Jerusalem, from the windows of our room, we
saw many funeral processions pass, when the remains of
the deceased were borne along, either in open coffins, or
in coffins with glass covers to them; and on Dec. 23rd,
the funeral of a child, belonging to the Greek Church, took
place outside the city walls, whose body, was lowered into
the grave without a coffin.
As there are no carriage roads in Palestine, with the
exception of the one from Jaffa to Jerusalem; being unwilling
to undertake long journeys of many miles on
horseback, in order to visit the numerous places of interest
usually resorted to by strangers, we did not travel
any further into the interior of the country; but, after remaining
at Jerusalem for nine weeks and two days, on
Feb. 1st, 1882, returned to Jaffa. There, heavy gales of
wind, and violent storms of rain, which lasted several
days, detained us until Feb. 8th; the weather became also
unusually cold, and as there were neither stoves nor fireplaces
in the rooms of our hotel—because fires are seldom
wanted in Palestine, we suffered greatly from the wintry
climate.
During this our second visit to Jaffa, Mr. Müller again
held meetings for the Germans; and on Wednesday,
Feb. 8th, the violence of the gales having to some extent
abated, we embarked for Haipha (or Kaifa) on the coast
of Palestine, about 70 miles north of Jaffa. Our passage,
however, in a small boat, to the Austrian steamship
"Flora" (lying at a considerable distance from the shore)
during weather still tempestuous, was most trying and
even dangerous; for, after riding over heavy breakers, and
getting clear of the rocks, our boat was tossed about upon
the waves for nearly half an hour; and, after at last we
reached the ship, a favourable opportunity of getting a
footing on board (to be seized just at the right moment as
the boat was lifted upwards by the waves) had to be closely
watched for, when one after the other, at the risk of our
lives, we had to spring on to the steep ladder staircase,
that led up towards the deck. At 2 o'clock the vessel
sailed, and on the evening of that day, at half-past 9, we
arrived off Haipha, where, in consequence of the roughness
of the sea, and our distance from the shore, it
became a question whether we should disembark at all;
but after considering the matter, and praying over it, we
resolved to brave the disagreeables and land. Some time
elapsed before the boat, which had been sent ashore with
passengers, returned; but soon after midnight we stepped
into it, and, with less discomfort than had been experienced
at Jaffa, were rowed safely to the beach. There,
some German brethren were waiting our arrival with an
open waggon, in which, during torrents of rain, we were
conveyed to the Hôtel du Mont Carmel, a mile and a half
distant, where we arrived soon after one o'clock.
The little town of Haipha is beautifully situated, on
the sea shore, close to the foot of Mount Carmel. During
the twelve days of our visit there, Mr. Müller preached 14
times amongst the large colony of Germans, settled at this
place, and here the Lord was pleased to grant a particular
blessing upon his labours; for his ministry was the means
of bringing about a complete revival amongst the people,
who had previously been in a very dead state, spiritually.
On Feb. 13th, accompanied by some German brethren, we
rode on donkeys up Mount Carmel, and when near its
summit, alighted at a Monastery, where the monks entertained
us with cups of black coffee without milk, and glasses
of mulberry wine, flavoured with lemon juice. They afterwards
showed us into a Church containing (according to
tradition) the cave in which Elijah dwelt, and finally led
the way to a lighthouse standing on a rock, that we might
see, from this elevated point, the magnificent prospect
which extended far and wide. It embraced Mount Tabor
in the extreme distance, Brook Kishon, the Valley of the
Sea of Tiberias, the Bay and town of Haipha, with the
houses of the German colony, the town of Acre the other
side of the Bay, the plain of Esdraelon, and the vast
expanse of the Mediterranean, stretching away as far as
the eye could reach, which looked as unruffled as a sea of
glass, and offered a striking contrast to the troubled waves
at Jaffa. Being favoured with bright sunshine, and a
beautifully clear atmosphere, the whole scene was viewed
under particularly favourable circumstances. The place
where Elijah slew the false prophets of Baal, and by
prayer brought down fire from heaven to consume his
sacrifice upon the altar, is situated near Haipha; and after
the drought of three years and six months, during which
there had been neither rain nor dew—it was upon Mount
Carmel he prayed, that Jehovah would again send rain
upon the earth.
Before our departure from Haipha, we intended to visit
Nazareth; but as there was no carriage road even tolerably
good, and as riding on horseback for nearly 40 miles
would have been objectionable, serious difficulties were in
the way. We desired to engage a Russian waggon, and
did our utmost to obtain one, but the Brook Kishon
(through which our route lay) being swollen from the recent
heavy rains, and as the adjacent country was partially
under water, its owner refused to let us have it, because
the journey was impracticable. Though Haipha possessed
attractions of its own, there were discomforts also connected
with our visit; for the hotel accommodation was
inferior and uncomfortable. Our apartment for instance
had a rough, dusty, uneven stone floor, without any carpet;
and even in cold, rainy weather, as it possessed neither
fireplace nor stove, no fire could be had. The room too,
from being scantily furnished, was comfortless in appearance;
and though the sleeping accommodation was clean
it was hard and uninviting. The meals, however, were
good, and for wholesome, nourishing food we felt most
thankful; but let no one visit small towns or villages in
the Holy Land, and expect to find that they contain
European comforts. The English clergyman at Nazareth
(who had resided there for a considerable time) informed
us, that throughout the winter he had one constant series
of "domestic miseries" to contend with. Through the
flat roof of his house, the rain leaked in, fuel was
scarce and expensive, provisions were dear and not
easily obtained, meat was tough and of inferior
quality, and often little besides goats' flesh could be
procured. He remarked also that visitors to the
Holy Land, who frequent the best hotels at Jaffa and
Jerusalem, and carry their comforts about with them, can
form no conception of the real poverty of the country, and
of the degraded condition of the native population, as seen
in the little towns and villages of the interior. As far as
the hotels at Haipha, however, are concerned, they must
be superior to the inn accommodation in some parts of
Asia Minor, which, according to the guide books, is
"execrable."
On the afternoon of Feb. 20th we left Haipha, in an
open waggon; and, after alighting on the sea shore, were
carried on the shoulders of Arabs across some shallow
water to a boat, which conveyed us to a large Austrian
steamer bound for Beyrout, Syria. At half-past 8 p.m.
the vessel sailed; at 7 o'clock the next morning we
reached our destination (where a most unpleasant rough
landing in a small boat awaited us), and were afterwards
conducted by a guide to the Hôtel de l'Orient, at a short
distance only from the landing place.
There we remained twenty-one days, and besides
preaching many times at the Anglo-American Mission
Church, and at the Church of the Deaconesses' Institution,
Beyrout, both in English and in German, Mr. Müller
addressed the students of the Syrian College with Arabic
interpretation, spoke to the Theological students for an
hour, conducted a service for the Moslem girls at Miss
Taylor's school, and held three meetings for Christian
workers, in German. At the residence of Mr. Mott (a mansion
on the hill) he held a large drawing-room meeting also,
which was attended by a number of the principal residents
and visitors of Beyrout, including His Excellency Rustem
Pasha, Governor-General of the Lebanon, Pasha Rickards,
Mrs. Eldridge, wife of the British Consul-General, the
English clergyman and his wife, the Presbyterian minister,
some visitors from the hotels, and many other persons.
The climate of Beyrout is delightful. Whilst there, we
walked through the beautiful gardens which belong to the
Pasha, and took a long drive on the Damascus road, to
the foot of the mountains of Lebanon, the tops of which
were covered with snow. A visit to Damascus, which we
had in contemplation, was abandoned, because it would
have been necessary to rise at 3 o'clock, in order to travel
by an early diligence. The journey of 70 miles too over a
very rough road would have been very fatiguing; and
having before us the prospect of much more travelling
both by land and water, we decided upon giving up this
excursion. Three days before we left Beyrout an exceedingly
heavy sea rolled in for many hours upon the shore,
making it impossible to undertake a passage from the
land to a steamer in a small boat; it seemed probable
therefore that our departure might be delayed; but as the
wind gradually abated, on March 14th, we sailed for
Smyrna, in Asia Minor, by the Austrian steamship
"Jupiter."
On the following morning, between 6 and 7 o'clock, we
anchored off Cyprus, in the Levant, which, after Sicily
and Sardinia, is the largest and most important island in
the Mediterranean; and from our cabin window had an
excellent view of it. Larnaca, its chief port, is built on
flat ground close to the sea; but high mountains rise
behind the town, and a long range of hilly country
extends for miles beyond it. Cyprus (of which Nicosia is
the capital and seat of Government) is 120 miles in length
and about 50 broad.
After remaining stationary for some hours, in the
afternoon our voyage was continued, and on Thursday,
March 16th, we sailed between the islands of the Archipelago,
where, as the currents are swift and powerful, the
sea became extremely rough; but towards evening the
vessel got into smoother water, and at 10 o'clock we
arrived off Rhodes, an island visited by the Apostle Paul,
when returning from his third missionary journey.
At the expiration of a few hours, our voyage was resumed,
and the next evening we touched at Chios, an
island which in 1881 was fearfully devastated by earthquakes.
There we remained four hours, and then went
on to Smyrna, where on Saturday, March 18th, we arrived
at 5 a.m.
Here Mr. Müller found work immediately, and, during
our stay, preached on the Lord's days twice, and every
afternoon or evening in the week, but generally with interpretation
into Armenian, Turkish, or modern Greek; and
once, when addressing a congregation of Spanish Jews,
with translation into Spanish. On the morning of Sunday,
April 2nd, he preached to an Armenian congregation
with Turkish interpretation, and in the afternoon at the
Scotch Church, in English. These services were held at
different places, including the Hall of the Smyrna Sailors'
Rest, the Dutch Chapel, the Deaconesses' Institution, the
Presbyterian Church, and the Armenian School Room.
On Tuesday, April 4th, we rose early; at 8 o'clock
started by rail for Ayasaloup (a little village 48 miles
from Smyrna, close to the ruins of Ephesus), and on our
arrival at half past 10, took a guide to the Mosque and
to the Temple of Diana, which are the principal ruins in
that particular locality. The Mosque bears traces of
having been a large, magnificent building, and contains
granite columns from the Temple of Diana. It is now in
a dilapidated state; but the view from it (which consists
of extensive mountain ranges, and a long, wide, vast plain,
extending far away for many miles, until lost sight of, in
the distant sea) is grand and striking. At no great
distance from the Mosque, in a very large hollow, sinking
a little below the general level of the ground, are the
ruins of the Temple of Diana; but the devastation there
is so complete, that no trace whatever (as to form or outline)
exists of the celebrated building which once occupied
this site. One stone can scarcely be found upon another,
and all that is left of this famous Temple are quantities of
stones, either lying in heaps, or scattered about in the
greatest confusion, and giving not the slightest idea of
what the edifice must have been which stood there many
centuries ago. Ephesus (and the whole neighbourhood
for miles around) abounds with ruins of Theatres, Temples,
Aqueducts, Towers, Tombs, Mosques, etc. There is a
building to be seen also, called "Paul's prison," now in a
ruinous condition; and a variety of ancient architectural
curiosities, of a remarkable character, invite the inspection
of travellers. The solitude and silence of the entire
locality, however, are mournful and depressing; these
numerous relics of departed magnificence, all crumbling
away to dust, fill the mind with feelings of solemnity;
and the whole scene affords a striking illustration of the
vain, unsatisfying character of all that this poor world
calls great and glorious. Happy are they, and they only,
who, through faith in Christ, have God Himself for their
present and eternal portion! In the afternoon we returned
to Smyrna, and on the following day, at 3 p.m., Mr.
Müller preached a farewell sermon at the Hall of the
"Sailors' Rest," where a large number of persons assembled
to hear him.
The next day (Thursday, April 6th), in the evening, we
left Smyrna by steamer, reached the entrance of the
Dardanelles the following afternoon, crossed the Sea of
Marmora during the night, and at a quarter past 5 a.m.
on Saturday, April 8th, reached Constantinople, where,
at 6 o'clock, we disembarked, and, accompanied by a guide,
walked up a high, steep hill, to the Hôtel d'Angleterre,
at Pera.
On the morning of Sunday, April 9th, Mr. Müller
preached in German at the Chapel of the Scotch Jewish
Mission, and in the afternoon in English, at the Presbyterian
Church. On the 11th he spoke in English at the
Bible House, and the following evening preached again
at the Chapel of the Scotch Jewish Mission. On the 13th
he addressed an Armenian congregation, at the Bible
House in English, with Turkish interpretation, when
about 450 persons were present.
The next day he spoke to the children of an Orphan
Institution, connected with the Scotch Mission, and on
the 15th held a meeting for two hours at the Deaconesses'
German Hospital, intended especially for Christian
Workers. On Sunday (April 16th) we went to Bebek (a
beautiful village on the Bosphorus, five miles distant)
where my husband preached morning and afternoon in
English, at the American Presbyterian Church; and the
following morning at Haskiog, near Constantinople, addressed
the children belonging to the school of the London
Jewish Missionary Society, the orphans of a small
Institution, and the children of the Presbyterian Jewish
Missionary Society. The young people in these three
schools (about 700 altogether) were Jews. On April 18th
he spoke in French, German, and English, to three different
departments of Jewish Schools, belonging to the
Scotch Jewish Mission; and on the 19th preached in
German at the Chapel of this Mission, to an assembly
consisting principally of Jews, from Lamentations iii.
22-26. On the 20th he had a congregation of 500
Armenians, whom he addressed with Turkish interpretation,
and this service was his last at Constantinople.
During our stay of twelve days (including a few meetings
which have not been specified) he spoke eighteen times
altogether.
Whilst at Constantinople, we saw the exterior of a few
of the principal public buildings in the city, and from the
Mosque of San Sophia, which stands upon high ground,
overlooking the Bosphorus, had a distant view of the
Barracks at Scutari, where Florence Nightingale and her
helpers so nobly attended the sick, wounded, and dying
soldiers, who fought during the Crimean war. An ancient
Egyptian Obelisk from Cairo, about 3,000 years old,
covered with hieroglyphics, was also pointed out. The
Bazaars of Constantinople, consisting of lofty stone
cloisters or arcades, lighted from the top by domes, are
extensive, numerous, and very oriental in appearance.
Each trade has its particular quarter, and the various
dealers have small shops with rooms behind them for
their wares, which are often of a costly and valuable
description.
On the afternoon of April 14th, a religious service of
the dancing Dervishes was held at one of their Convents,
within a few minutes walk of our hotel. There were 18
performers altogether, who wore brown mantles, and high,
round caps made of felt. At a particular signal, they all
fell flat upon their faces; but afterwards rose, and walked
a few times round the room, with folded arms, bowing and
turning slowly many times. Their mantles were then
suddenly cast off, when they appeared in long, full, bell-shaped
petticoats and jackets, and, after stretching out
their arms to the utmost, began gravely and deliberately
to dance and revolve (that is, to spin round and round
like a top) for about fifteen or twenty minutes, as rapidly
as possible. The sight was instructive, inasmuch as it
gave rise to a feeling of the deepest gratitude to God that
the wild, religious delusions of these poor Dancing Dervishes
were not ours. "Who maketh thee to differ from
another, and what hast thou that thou didst not receive,"
should ever be the language of our hearts. The howling
Dervishes we did not see, but heard that they carry on
their religious performances at Scutari.
On April 18th we took a drive to "Sweet Waters";
on the 19th went by steamer up the Bosphorus, to the
entrance of the Black Sea, 20 miles from Constantinople;
and on the 20th visited the great Turkish Cemetery, and
the English Military Burying Ground at Scutari, in Asia
Minor. The former is an enormous grave yard, where
many hundreds of thousands of corpses lie interred. It
contains numbers of cypress trees, under which are the
graves of the departed Mussulmans, marked by innumerable
high, narrow tombstones, standing upright, and huddled
so closely and indiscriminately together, that they formed
a perfect labyrinth. Most of the graves had each two
upright stones, partially painted over with bright colours—blue,
green, red, or yellow, and bore Turkish epitaphs
in characters of gold inscribed upon them. On the top of
many of these tombstones, a carved Turkish fez cap and
tassel also stood out in bold relief. The Cemetery was
not enclosed, and the vast number of graves it contained,
presented such a wretched, confused, disorderly appearance,
that no Christian passer-by would ever wish his last
earthly resting-place to be in a Mahometan Cemetery,
amongst Mussulmans!
After leaving this burial ground, we passed the Barracks
(used as an English Hospital during the Crimean war, the
scene of Miss Nightingale's memorable labours), and then
reached a spot from which there was a fine view of the
Sea of Marmora, Prince's Islands, and Stamboul (as the
ancient part of Constantinople is called), the Golden Horn,
the town of Chalcedon, etc. A short drive further brought
us to the British Military Cemetery—a beautiful enclosure,
planted with trees and shrubs—which was laid out with
grass nicely mown, and neat gravel walks. A few flowers
also were in bloom, and the whole was kept in perfect
order, either by a gardener, or the lodge-keeper at the
entrance. Part of the ground sloped gradually towards
the Sea of Marmora, the sun shone brightly upon the
Cemetery, and the whole enclosure looked so peaceful,
quiet, and even hallowed, compared with the Turkish
burial-ground we had just quitted, that the superiority of
Christianity to Mahometanism was vividly conspicuous.
This Cemetery contains the graves of 8,000 of the
British officers, soldiers, and sailors, who died of wounds
received in the Crimean war; and the bodies of British
residents in Constantinople may likewise (by permission) be
interred therein. Upon the first monument that attracted
our attention was the following touching epitaph:—"In
memory of Julian Henry Layard, Lieut. 37th N. Hampshire
Regiment, assistant military attaché to the British
Embassy at Constantinople, who died of typhoid fever
while on duty with the Turkish forces under Suleiman
Pasha in the Shipka Pass. Born 15th May, 1850, died
Sept. 24th, 1877. This monument has been erected by
his parents Col. Frederick and Ida Layard, in testimony
of their undying loss. Pitifully behold the sorrows of our
hearts, oh! Lord." Further on was a large, handsome,
white marble monument, a column between 20 and 30 feet
high, which had angels carved upon it, with folded arms,
drooping wings, and down-cast countenances; and on one
of its four sides was the following inscription:—"A la
mémoire des officiers, des soldats, et des marins de l'armée
Anglaise, et de la flotte, morts pour la patrie, dans la
guerre de la Russie en 1854, 1855, et 1856. Ce monument
a été elevé par la reine Victoria et son peuple, en
1857." After leaving the Cemetery, we took a drive
through Scutari before returning to the Hôtel d'Angleterre.
Constantinople, including Stamboul and the suburbs of
Galata, Pera, Tophana, and Scutari, contains a population
of upwards of a million.
On April 21st, at 5 p.m., we left for Athens in the
"Minerva"; arrived at the Piræus, Greece, at 6 a.m. on
the 23rd, after a favourable voyage, and proceeded immediately
by rail to Athens, which is only seven miles
distant. There, on the evening of that day, Mr. Müller
preached at the Chapel of the American Congregational
Mission, in English, from Phil. iv. 6, 7, with translation
into modern Greek. On the 26th he spoke at the house
of an American Baptist minister, with translation also
into Greek, and on the following evening, at 8 o'clock,
preached at the American Presbyterian Mission Chapel,
from Romans viii. 28, when Dr. Kalopothakos translated
for him. On the 28th he addressed 257 Greek boys at
"The Ragged School," in the presence of their teachers
and a number of gentlemen interested in the Institution;
and, after having spoken to the boys, particularly impressed
upon these gentlemen (privately) the importance of introducing
religious instruction into the school. On the morning
of the 29th, at one of the prisons in Athens, he
addressed 275 male prisoners, for half an hour, who were
all assembled in a yard, and went afterwards to a second
gaol, where he preached the gospel to 155 other prisoners.
These men, who were very quiet and attentive, listened
with much interest to the instruction given. On Sunday
the 30th Mr. Müller preached at the American Presbyterian
Mission Chapel in the morning; and in the evening,
at the same place, addressed the largest congregation that
had ever assembled in the Chapel during the ten years it
had been open. On May 1st he spoke there again, and
on the 2nd addressed the 700 children belonging to Mrs.
Hill's School, in German; upon this occasion (as at all
other times) with translation into Greek.
Whilst at Athens we visited the Areopagus, or Mars
Hill;—stood on the spot where Paul preached, explored
the Acropolis, and saw the ruins of many idol temples,
celebrated ancient buildings, etc., some of which are said
to be nearly 4,000 years old. We ascended Mount Lycabettus
also, and admired the beautiful view obtained from
it of Athens and the neighbourhood. During the whole of
our visit, Dr. Kalapothakos and Mr. Sakkalarios (two
missionary brethren) were most kind and attentive to us.
On Wednesday, May 3rd, we rose at 4, went by rail to
the Piræus, and there embarked for Kalamaki, on the
Isthmus of Corinth, 40 miles distant. At 11 o'clock we
reached our destination, crossed the Isthmus in a carriage
(a drive of seven miles) and at Corinth, the other side of
it, went on board a Greek steamer, bound for Brindisi in
the south of Italy. At half past 1 we sailed from Corinth,
and after touching at Corfu on the evening of the 4th,
on May 5th, at noon, landed at Brindisi. From this town,
viâ Foggia and Caserta, we went on direct to Rome,
arrived in that city on the 8th of May, and remained there
until the 18th.
During this our third visit to Rome, Mr. Müller
held twelve meetings, when he preached occasionally in
English without translation, but generally with interpretation
into Italian. On May 12th we attended one of Mrs.
Wall's interesting meetings for Italian beggars (held once
a week), when Mr. Müller addressed them with translation
by Mr. Wall. On May 18th we visited Tivoli, 18 miles
from Rome, and on the 19th went on to Florence (our
third visit to that city), where my dear husband had five
precious, happy meetings. There, it was our intention to
have remained longer, but finding it would be desirable
that we should return to England a little earlier than
usual, on May 25th we left Florence for Turin, arrived at
Paris on the 27th, continued our journey to Dover on the
29th, and arrived at Bristol on the afternoon of Tuesday,
May 30th, at half-past two.
NINTH TOUR. — EUROPEAN: INCLUDING VISITS TO GERMANY, AUSTRIA, HUNGARY, BOHEMIA, RUSSIA, AND RUSSIAN POLAND. From August 8th, 1882, to June 1st, 1883.
Before our departure from England to begin
another Continental tour; on August 8th, 1882, we
went to Weymouth, where Mr. Müller preached four times.
On the 14th we left for Dover, crossed over by steamer to
Calais the next morning, and taking the train for Brussels
which was waiting, reached that city in the afternoon at
5 o'clock. On the 17th we proceeded to Düsseldorf,
where my husband held eight German meetings, and on
the 26th left for Neukirchen, a village about two miles
from Mörs. There, on Sunday the 27th, he preached in
the morning at the parish Church, and in the afternoon
attended a meeting (held at a large Hall, in connection
with the dedication of the Mission House), at which he
was the chief speaker. His address occupied from 4 till
5 o'clock, but the whole meeting, which was crowded to
overflowing, lasted for four hours. Early the following
morning he conducted family worship in the large dining-room
of Pastor Doll's parsonage; where, besides its
inmates, a congregation from the village had assembled.
At 10 o'clock we left for Homberg in a carriage, crossed
the Rhine by ferry steamer, and went on by rail to Mülheim
an der Ruhr, at which place, on the evening of that
day, he addressed a large audience of 1,600 persons at the
Vereins Haus. On August 29th, a religious festival was
held at this Vereins Haus, when the building was crowded
in every part of it; and at half-past 2, Mr. Müller
addressed a multitude, numbering from 1,600 to 1,800.
In the evening at half past 8, he spoke at the Vereins
Haus for the third time, and again addressed (if possible)
a more crowded audience than had assembled there in the
afternoon.
On August 30th, early in the morning, we started for
Cologne; proceeded thence by rail to Bonn, and embarking
on board a steamer for Coblentz, went up the Rhine.
After a pleasant voyage, surrounded by beautiful scenery,
at half past 5 we passed the Fortress of Ehrenbreitstein,
and in a few minutes reached our destination. At
Coblentz we remained two nights; on the morning of
Sept. 1st continued our voyage up the Rhine, and soon
after 5 o'clock landed at Biberich, near Mayence, from
which place an open carriage conveyed us to Wiesbaden,
five miles distant.
There Mr. Müller held eight German meetings, including
six at the Vereins Haus, an address at the Paulinen
Institute of German Deaconesses, and a service on Sunday
morning, Sept. 10th, at the principal German Protestant
Church at Wiesbaden, a large building like a Cathedral,
where he preached at half past nine.
Wiesbaden is a beautiful spot, abounding in parks,
avenues of trees, fountains, flower gardens, etc., and is
much resorted to by visitors. It contains 30 different
kinds of hot mineral springs, which supply 850 varieties
of baths.
On Sept. 11th, we left Wiesbaden for Mannheim, where
my husband preached four times; and on the 16th started
for Heidelberg, at which place, on Sunday, Sept. 17th, he
preached at the Evangelical Capelle both morning and
afternoon. During our stay at Heidelberg, he held four
other meetings at the same place of worship, and on the
22nd we went to Munich, in Bavaria, 210 miles from
Heidelberg, a very popish place, where, though some
openings for service presented themselves, none were of a
very extensive character. On Sunday, the 24th, in a Hall,
at 3 p.m., Mr. Müller addressed a company of about 200,
including children, teachers, and young persons, and at
5.15 the same afternoon gave an address to a congregation
of 200, at the Hall of "The Herberge zur Heimath." On
the 27th and 28th he spoke again at this Hall; preached
at the Evangelische Hauptkirche on the 29th, and on
Sunday afternoon, Oct. 1st, held another meeting at the
same church at 3 o'clock. At half past 5, he preached at
the Deaconesses' Institution also, which was his last service
at Munich.
On Oct. 2nd we left for Vienna (272 miles from
Munich) where he held a number of meetings and
we remained 18 days. He preached repeatedly at Mr.
Millard's Hall, at the German Reformed Church, at the
Presbyterian Church (in English), at the German Methodist
Church, and gave an address also to colporteurs and to
other Christian workers. As Vienna is full of popery,
service for the Lord there is connected with many difficulties.
One regulation (by order of the Government) is,
that three days' notice must be given to the police before
extra religious meetings can be held; but the work of
God is carried on, and prospers to some extent, though,
on account of the little religious liberty that exists it is
often greatly hindered.
Several years ago, the spread of the gospel in Austria
was resolutely opposed by the Government; for the agent
of the British and Foreign Bible Society, after being
turned out of Vienna with all his Bibles, was conducted
by a military escort to the frontier, and told that he must
leave the country. Though it is not as difficult to hold Protestant
services in Austria now, as was formerly the case,
scarcely any real religious liberty is to be found in that land.
The Presbyterian minister at Vienna said, that, during
his comparatively short residence in this city, he had been
obliged to appear seven times before the magistrates, to
give an account of the services at his church, and to
answer questions put to him.
Vienna is a large splendid city on the Danube; it contains
upwards of one million one hundred thousand inhabitants,
and is considered one of the finest capitals of Europe.
On Oct. 20th, we left and went to Pesth (called also
Buda-Pesth) the capital of Hungary, 172 miles from
Vienna, where, on Sunday the 22nd, Mr. Müller preached
at the German Reformed Church in the morning, and at
the Baptist Chapel in the evening. During our stay he
held seven other meetings also, including a service in
English at the Presbyterian Church, a meeting for
Christian workers at the School House of the Jewish
Mission, and an address to 50 patients at the Hospital of
the Kaiserwerth Deaconesses, when from 30 to 40 gentlemen
and ladies were likewise present. At some of these
services, there were many Catholics amongst the hearers.
On Monday, Oct. 30th, early in the morning, we
started for Brünn, Moravia, 229 miles from Pesth (on
our way to Prague), but remained there two nights only,
and on the 31st, walked up to the Spielberg (an ancient
fortress at Brünn, upwards of 1000 years old, situated on
the top of a hill, nearly 900 feet high,) intending only to
look at the view obtained from that elevation; but having
(very courteously) been invited by the Commander of the
garrison to enter the Citadel, we mounted the ramparts,
from which the prospect was extensive. Amongst other
places, Austerlitz, 14 miles distant, could be seen, where,
on Dec. 2nd, 1805, Napoleon Buonaparte (whose head
quarters were at Brünn) gained a victory over the Russians
and the Austrians. Our guides (an officer and a
soldier) afterwards conducted us down several flights of
steps into the dungeons of the Spielberg, and, with a
lighted torch, led the way through those infamous abodes
of the cruelty of years gone by. Here, Baron Trenck,
General Mack, and Silvio Pellico were imprisoned long
ago; the dreadful tortures, formerly inflicted upon robbers,
murderers, and political offenders, as well as upon
Protestants (there is reason to believe), were minutely described
to us; and the horrible scenes, which then took place
in these places of confinement, were specially detailed.
One of these dark vaults contained a stone figure, representing
a man stretched out at full length upon a rack,
with his arms drawn up above his head, to show the
manner in which the limbs of victims used to be gradually
torn from their bodies, by means of machinery, which
ruptured their blood vessels also, and dislocated their
bones. Then, on the walls were iron rings, to which,
with outstretched arms, condemned criminals were fastened
in such a way that it was impossible to move; and
there, without food or water, they were left to perish. In
another of the dungeons was a second figure, of a man
in chains, standing upright, but fettered so cruelly that,
if it had been a living human being, the agony occasioned
by the bonds would have been excruciating. Some of the
prisoners, not killed by cold and hunger, were partially
devoured by rats, whilst others were slowly put to death
by atrocities that rivalled even the dread punishments of
the Inquisition. A wall smeared with blood, which has
left indelible stains, was also pointed out, together with a
trap-door in the roof of these dungeons, through which
the condemned were let down into their dreary sepulchres
beneath.
It may seem almost strange to dwell even for a moment
upon such horrors; but it should be remembered that the
terrible deeds just adverted to were facts. Many of the
Lord's people too, in years gone by, have had to pass through
fiery trials such as these. Deep gratitude should therefore
fill our own hearts, that we do not live at a time when,
and in countries where, such outrages can legally be perpetrated.
The present Emperor of Austria, Francis
Joseph I. (as our guides informed us) once caused himself
to be shut up for a few hours in the dungeon where the
second figure was, in order that he might be able, practically
to enter into the terrible character of these prisons;
and afterwards gave orders, that no condemned criminals
should in future be subjected to such punishments.
On Nov. 1st we left Brünn, and went to Prague, the
capital of Bohemia, 135 miles distant, where Mr. Müller
preached six times, including an English meeting on
Nov. 3rd, at the Presbyterian Church, and two services
on the 6th and 7th, in German, at the American-Bohemian
Chapel, with translation into the Bohemian language,
by the pastor, Mr. Clark. At most of these
meetings, nearly half the hearers were papists, several of
whom (we heard) were deeply impressed by the preaching
of the gospel. Information also reached us, whilst at
Prague, that much blessing resulted from my husband's
ministry at Pesth.
Prague has a population of about 163,000, out of
which number 12,000 are Jews, who live in the Judenstadt.
The city contains 50 Churches, 22 Chapels, 17
Convents, 2 Protestant Churches, 11 Synagogues, and
more than 300 Factories. John Huss used to preach at
St. Gallus Church; but he, and his friend Jerome of
Prague, were eventually burned at Constance, as heretics.
After a visit of a few days only, on Wednesday, Nov.
8th, early in the morning, we left for Dresden, Saxony,
viâ Bodenbach, on the Bohemian frontier; travelled
through a district (called from its mountainous, picturesque
character the "Switzerland of Saxony"), and
reached Dresden in the afternoon. There, in consequence
of letters not having reached the persons for
whom they were intended, no meetings could be arranged
for Mr. Müller until Sunday evening, Nov. 12th, when
he preached in English at the Presbyterian Church. On
the 14th he gave an address in a drawing-room, at the
house of Col. Rose, and on the 15th held a meeting in
the large saloon of Braun's Hotel.
On Nov. 16th we went to Leipsic, where, the following
evening, he spoke at a drawing-room meeting,
held at the house of Dr. König; and on the 18th addressed
about 200 students at a Hall in the city,
in the presence of some of their professors, and a few
other gentlemen. On the morning of Sunday, the
19th, he spoke to 300 children, some students and
other persons, at Dr. König's Sunday-school; and in the
afternoon at 5 o'clock, preached at the American Chapel,
in English.
During our short visit to Leipsic, the winter set in with
great severity, and snow fell the greater part of each day
that we remained. This city is the great centre of the
German book trade; it has 300 booksellers' Establishments,
representing 4,500 firms; 300 hand- and steam-presses,
and a Booksellers' Exchange.
On Monday, Nov. 20th, we left Leipsic for Halberstadt,
and early in the afternoon walked through the town (a
quaint, old-fashioned one) to the Cathedral School, which
is near the spot, formerly occupied by the buildings, where,
in his youthful days, my husband went to school. We
visited the fine, old Protestant Cathedral also, containing
the altar, at which, when a young man, he received the
Lord's supper for the first time.
The next morning, a carriage conveyed us to Kroppenstädt
(where he was born), twelve miles distant,
when he remarked that the road leading to this town
looked much the same as it did when he was a boy,
except that fruit trees have since been planted on each
side of it, instead of poplars. At Kroppenstädt (visited
on this occasion for the first time since his childhood),
Mr. Müller held two meetings at a large Hall, when (by
particular request) he gave an account of his life and
labours, and preached the gospel also, fully and faithfully
at the same time, to the inhabitants of his native place,
who flocked to hear him in such numbers that the building
was crowded to overflowing. These two meetings were
very precious ones. Early on the morning of Thursday,
Nov. 23rd, we visited the house in which he was born,
and then drove to Heimersleben, three miles distant;
where the pleasant dwelling that became his home after
his parents had removed from Kroppenstädt, looked much
the same as it did many years ago.
On the afternoon of that day we left Heimersleben,
and proceeded to Berlin, 110 miles distant, where, on
Sunday evening, Nov. 26th, he preached at St. Johannes
Kirche, Alt Moabit, to a large congregation; and
held meetings at Christus Kirche the three following
evenings. On the 30th Nov. he spoke at the Vereins
Haus, and on Dec. 1st preached at the Hall of the Moravian
Brethren. The afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 3rd, was
devoted to a meeting for 100 Sunday School children, at
the house of some Christian ladies; and in the evening
at 6, he preached again at St. Johannes Kirche, Alt
Moabit. At a drawing-room meeting held at the house
of Mr. Gärtner, on Dec. 2nd, he addressed about 80 gentlemen
and ladies, and on the 5th preached at Jesus
Kirche in the evening, from John xiv. 13, 14. On the
6th and 8th he held meetings again at this church;
spoke at the Hall of the Moravian Brethren on the 7th;
and on Sunday, Dec. 10th, preached at Jesus Kirche
in the morning, and at St. Johannes, Alt Moabit, in the
evening. The congregations at all these services were
generally large.
Early on the morning of the 11th we left Berlin, and
travelling by rail viâ Schneidemühl, arrived at Dantzic
(a large, fortified town in Northern Prussia, beautifully
situated close upon the Baltic, 284 miles from Berlin), in
the evening at 6.45. Here Mr. Müller preached twice at
the Hall of the Moravian Brethren, four times at the
Garrison Church, and once at the Baptist Chapel. At
Dantzic he found two of his old Christian University
friends, both of whom, after having been 50 years ministers
in the town, had celebrated their Jubilee. The intercourse
he had with them was of a very pleasant and
profitable character.
On Thursday, Dec. 21st, we rose soon after 5; left
Dantzic by an early train for Dirschau, and arrived at
K[oe]nigsberg in the afternoon at half-past 2. There, on
Dec. 21st and 22nd Mr. Müller preached in the evening
at a large Hall to upwards of 500 persons; on the 23rd
he gave an address at the Moravian Church, and on the
25th (Christmas day) spoke again at the same place.
On the morning of the 26th (second Christmas day in
Germany,) at half-past 9, he addressed an immense audience
of 3000 people at the Tragheimer Kirche, a large
building which was crowded to the utmost; and in the
afternoon spoke at the Moravian Hall, where hundreds
could not get in for want of room. On the 27th he
preached again at the Tragheimer Kirche; and on the
28th held a meeting at the same church, which was his
closing one at K[oe]nigsberg.
On Friday, Dec. 29th, at 12.36 in the middle of the
day, we left for St. Petersburg, and at half-past 4 reached
the Russian frontier, where an inspection of passports and
the usual Custom House examination of luggage occasioned
a detention of two hours. At half-past 6, however,
we obtained a comfortable sleeping compartment in
a Russian train, heated with warm air, containing two
couches, double windows and a little table, in which we
passed the night; and the next morning awoke, to find
ourselves travelling through a vast wilderness of snow,
with which every thing around was laden. On the
evening of that day (Dec. 30th), at 6 o'clock, we
reached St. Petersburg after a journey of 685 miles
from K[oe]nigsberg, and found Colonel Paschkoff, and
Princess Lieven at the station, kindly waiting to receive
us. The latter (a beloved sister in the Lord), pressed
us immediately to make her house our home, but
though we at first declined the invitation,—after passing
two nights at an hotel, as she still urged us to become
her guests, we accepted this offer of hospitality, and were
entertained at her mansion with the utmost kindness
and affection during the whole of our long visit to St.
Petersburg.
On Sunday morning, Dec. 31st, Mr. Müller preached
morning and evening in English, at the British and
American Chapel, with much help; and, as long as we
remained, was engaged day after day in important service
for the Lord. During our stay he preached 16 times at
the British and American chapel, in English; 8 times in
German at the German Reformed Church, 11 times in
German at the Moravian Church; held three meetings
for the Swedes at the British and American Chapel, with
translation into Swedish, attended three pastors' meetings,
held 5 large drawing-room meetings at Col. Paschkoff's
mansion, conducted two at the residence of Count Korff,
and held 35 at the house of Princess Lieven. Besides
these services he received visitors as inquirers every day,
and had about 40 private interviews of an hour, one
hour and a half, or two hours, with three, four, and five
Christian workers at a time, either for the purpose of
answering questions that had been sent in, or in order to
converse with them about different portions of the word
of God. At an Evangelical Hospital in St. Petersburg,
on the afternoon of Feb. 2nd, he gave two addresses also
(in German) to the patients, who occupied four wards;
spoke to about 40 children, belonging to a separate Institution
under the same roof afterwards; and addressed
30 deaconesses, who labour amongst the patients and the
children. On the evening of Friday, Feb. 9th, at 9
o'clock, we were somewhat startled by a visit from the
police, with a summons for my husband to appear early
the next morning before their chief officer; when, on
presenting himself at the Police Court, he was charged
with having held meetings with translation into Russ,
for which no permission had been given by the Minister
of the Interior. Though he was treated with great
courtesy by this functionary, who shook hands with him,
and offered a sort of half apology for acting as he did;
from that time the services at Col. Paschkoff's house were
stopped; but Mr. Müller was allowed to continue his
other labours without hindrance. There is, however, so
little real religious liberty in Russia, that the spread of
the Gospel is lamentably prevented by the absence of it.
During our visit to St. Petersburg, the cold was occasionally
very severe, and more intense than we ever found
it in Canada, or in the United States. On March 13th
we visited the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, which
contains the tombs of the Russian Emperors, and passed
the spot where Alexander II. was murdered by the Nihilists.
A visit in a sledge also, to a little settlement of
Laplanders encamped on the Neva upon the ice, gave
some idea of the habits of these poor people. A party
of Lapps (clothed in skins and furs, with the warm side
turned inwards and looking as if sewn up in their thick
garments) were standing near a tent. They wear no
under linen (we were told), and never wash themselves
nor change their clothes, except when they fall off from
dirt and constant use. The interior of a Laplander's hut
too, upon the ice, presented a miserable, uncomfortable
appearance. It consisted of a tent made of skins, with
the fur turned inwards, and had an opening at the top,
which answered the double purpose of chimney and of
window. An iron pot, containing soup, was suspended
over a small fire in the centre of this tent, and the floor
of ice in the hut was covered by rugs; but all the domestic
arrangements inside were of a most repulsive character,
and made us feel unspeakably thankful for the mercies
and comforts of our own Christian home.
The population of St. Petersburg is about 800,000.
"This city is situated on the river Neva, near its entrance
into the gulf of Finland, 15 miles from Lake Ladoga,
where it is divided by islands into four channels called the
Great and Little Neva. The dead flat, on which the city
now stands, was once a morass, occupied by a few fishermen's
huts, on the site of which Peter the Great began to
build in 1703, by erecting a small hut for himself, and
some wooden hovels near the Old Fort. The best streets
are broad and spacious, and the Nevski Prospekt, is
nearly three miles in length."
The last time Mr. Müller held a meeting in English at
St. Petersburg was at the British and American Chapel,
where on Sunday evening, March 11th, he preached a
farewell sermon to a large congregation from Prov. iv. 23;
"Keep thine heart with all diligence, for out of it are the
issues of life."
On Tuesday, March 20th, at half past one p.m., we left
for Warsaw, in Russian Poland, and arrived there the
following evening at 10 minutes after 8, after a long,
fatiguing journey of 700 miles. On the morning of
March 25th (Easter Sunday) my husband preached in
German at a Baptist Church; during the week he held
four meetings at private houses, and on the following
Sunday (April 1st) preached again at the Baptist
Church; but as the Russian authorities would not allow
him to use the German Reformed Church, our stay at
Warsaw was of brief duration only. This city contains
401,000 inhabitants, 127,500 of whom are Jews. There
are 217 Synagogues and 653 Talmudical schools at
Warsaw, and throughout the whole of Poland (where
there are more Israelites than in any country in the world)
the Jews number upwards of a million.
Having received a kind invitation to the house of Mr.
Janatz, a converted Jew, who lives in the country, 14 miles
from Warsaw; on Monday morning (April 2nd), we went
by rail to Pruszkow, from which place, a carriage and four
conveyed us over four miles of ploughed fields, and across
much marshy ground to his residence. After remaining
there two hours, a meeting was held in the afternoon, at
an Orphanage, a mile and a half distant, where my husband
addressed a large company, including orphans,
country people, and the workmen on Mr. Janatz's estate.
On the morning of April 4th, at a quarter past 10, we
left our friend's house, returned by carriage to Pruszkow
and there took the 11.45 train for Lodz (a large manufacturing
town in Poland, the second in size to Warsaw
and 100 miles from it), where, after changing trains at
Koluszki, we arrived at 4 o'clock. There, during the
twelve days that we remained, Mr. Müller preached twelve
times at the German Baptist Church, upon each occasion
to a most crowded congregation, for evening after evening
throughout the week, as late as half past 8, about 1,200
hearers assembled, who listened to him with the deepest
interest. On the morning of April 10th he received
a note in German, of which the following is a translation:—"I,
and almost the whole population of this town, in
the name of the Lord Jesus, entreat that you will have
the kindness to remain with us till after next Sunday. In
the name of many thousands I thank you for your ministry."
As every evening during our stay, this church continued
to be crowded to the utmost, and avowed infidels
even were moved to tears; as the preaching too was the
theme of conversation in the factories, public houses, and
in many private families, our visit to Lodz was prolonged
until April 15th, on which day we rose at a quarter before
5, and after a long journey of 325 miles, arrived at
Breslau (Silesia) at half-past 10 that night. There,
during the three weeks that we remained, having to give
himself in earnest to the writing of the new Report, and
to write numerous letters of importance, my husband did
not engage at all in the public ministry of the Word. On
the morning of May 7th, we left for Dresden; arrived
there at 5 minutes to 4 in the afternoon, and in the evening
went to the Scotch Church, where he preached in
English to a very small congregation compared with the
multitudes who had thronged the church at Lodz. On
the 8th we proceeded to Hanover; remained there until
the 11th, and then, continuing our journey to England
(after passing one night at Cologne, a day and a half at
Antwerp, and sleeping at Calais, where we arrived at one
o'clock in the middle of the night), on the afternoon of
May 14th, at half past one, embarked in the "Calais-Douvres,"
and landed at Dover at 3 o'clock. From there
we went on immediately to London, where Mr. Müller
spoke seven times at the Mildmay Conference Hall,
preached once at Upper Clapton, and once at Kilburn
Hall, at the West End of London. On May 26th he
held a meeting in German, for a large company of Jews at
Whitechapel, and on the 29th we spent a few hours at
Belstead, near Ipswich, where he gave an address at a large
school for young ladies; the service was attended also by
some of the clergy and many residents from the town and
neighbourhood. The meetings just mentioned brought
this ninth tour to a close. In the course of his nine
missionary journeys, my husband has preached or otherwise
spoken in public about Two Thousand Four Hundred
times, and we have travelled sixty-eight thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight miles by land and water altogether.
On June 1st we left London at 3 p.m., reached
Bristol at 5.36, and, upon our arrival on Ashley Hill, were
most heartily welcomed home, by a very large company of
the Orphan boys and girls, whose warm, affectionate
greetings almost melted us to tears.
As these nine long tours are now ended, we desire most
gratefully to record our praises and thanksgivings to the
Lord for all the mercies and blessings connected with
them, and earnestly commend ourselves to the prayers of
the believing reader for any future service of the same
character in which we may be engaged, desiring especially
that help and guidance may be granted us with reference
to our approaching missionary visit to India, for which
country (God willing) we purpose to embark on Sept. 26th
of the present year (1883).
JUST PUBLISHED.
A Brief Account
OF THE LIFE AND LABOURS
OF
GEORGE MÜLLER.
(of Bristol.)
By Mrs. MÜLLER. Price 1s. Nisbet & Co., London;
Bible and Tract Warehouse, 34, Park Street, Bristol;
and through all Booksellers.
BOOKS BY MR. MÜLLER.
Narrative of some of the Lord's Dealings with George
Müller, in 3 volumes, 9s. 6d.
Jehovah Magnified. Addresses by Mr. Müller. Cloth
flush, 2s.; embossed cloth, 3s.; cloth elegant, gilt
edges, 4s.
Counsel to Christians. Addresses by Mr. Müller. Cloth
limp, 1s.; cloth, boards, 1s. 6d.; bevelled boards, 2s.
Answer from the Holy Scriptures to the Four most
Important Questions. 1-1/2d.
The Privilege and Blessedness of Giving. 1d.
The Second Coming of Christ. 1d.
Address to Young Converts. 1/2d.
Secret of Effectual Service. 1/2d.
Transcriber's Notes:
Punctuation has been standardised.
Commas were removed after Bible chapter references; for example, Rom. viii., 18 changed to Rom. viii. 18
Table of Contents, "2" changed to "3" (page number for Second Tour)
Page 18, changed "nly" to "only" (sun shines only)
Page 24, changed "Amsterdan" to "Amsterdam" (industry of Amsterdam)
Page 29, changed "millons" to "millions" (millions of tons)
Page 77, changed "Cateract" to "Cataract" (Cataract of Diamonds)
Page 82, changed "afternon" to "afternoon" (On the following afternoon)
Page 110, changed "Gulich's" to "Gulick's" (held at Mr. Gulick's church)
Page 118, changed "Marseille" to "Marseilles" (stopped at Marseilles)
Page 128, changed "quantites" to "quantities" (quantities of lava)
Page 147, changed "pre-milenial" to "pre-millennial" (Christ's pre-millennial advent)
Page 150, changed "Sherborne" to "Sherbourne" (pastor of the Sherbourne)
Page 164, changed "Indianopolis" to "Indianapolis" (Sentinel," of Indianapolis)
Page 179, changed "Zurich" to "Zürich" (Zürich, Basel, and)
Page 207, changed "intruction" to "instruction" (introducing religious instruction)
Page 225, changed "Pruskow" to "Pruszkow" (carriage to Pruszkow)